Residents in three communities are being ordered to evacuate immediately as an out-of-control bushfire spreads, with firefighters bracing for more dangerous conditions.
People in Bornes Hill, towards the south of the Grampians National Park, were told to leave immediately after an emergency was declared on Wednesday evening.
The out-of-control bushfire in Victoria's west is travelling in a southeasterly direction, with increased fire activity observed between Lynches Crossing Track and Childs Lane.
Residents in Moyston and Pomonal, towards the north of the national park, were also told to immediately leave the area.
Authorities issued an emergency warning as the fire raced towards Redman and Long Gully roads in the national park.
"Private property adjoining the National Park could be impacted in the next two hours, south of the Pomonal 2024 fire area," the alert said.
"Leaving immediately is the safest option before conditions become too dangerous.
"Emergency services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay."
The blaze has burned more than 40,000ha and it remains unsafe for people to return to Bellfield, Halls Gap and surrounding areas.
Relief centres have been set up at Alexandra Oval Community Centre in Ararat and Grampians Community Health, or The Shacc, in Stawell.
In other incidents, crews contained a grassfire in Smithfield to Adelaide's north, as temperatures in the South Australian capital pushed towards 36C.
Total fire bans were declared for SA's mid north, Riverland, Murraylands, upper southeast and lower southeast regions on Thursday with the fire risk considered extreme.
Multiple fires were also burning east of Perth and in northwest and southwest WA, and emergency services warned people to avoid the Laverton area and watch conditions in Bornholm in Albany.
Firefighters from multiple states are assisting their Victorian counterparts as they work to secure containment lines ahead of Boxing Day, which is expected to bring the worst conditions since the 2019 Black Summer.
"There are two major concerns on Thursday – the fires already burning in the landscape, and any new fires that start as a result of the extreme fire risk," Country Fire Authority Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said.
A total fire ban has been declared across the state, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting temperatures into the 40s, with wind gusts of up to 100km/h in elevated areas.
"That's enough to bring down trees and power lines, cause some minor power outages, but also create dangerous conditions for our ongoing fires through the Grampians," senior meteorologist Dean Narramore said on Wednesday.
The State Control Centre's Luke Hegarty urged Victorians to observe the total fire ban and ensure all fires are out by midnight.
Local residents have been told to prepare for power outages with provider AusNet warning cuts could be triggered to prevent bushfires starting on Thursday.
As a cool change washes over Victoria on Friday, the extreme fire dangers will push into parts of central northeastern NSW.
