Key Points
- Firefighters are trying to contain a bushfire near Ballarat in Victoria.
- Temperatures are expected to soar above 40C on Wednesday in western Victoria.
- Six homes had been destroyed in the blaze that continued to burn west of Ballarat.
Temperatures are predicted to top 40C by mid-week in western Victoria, sparking concern for firefighters trying to contain a bushfire.
Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes says Country Fire Authority chief Jason Heffernan has expressed "grave concern" about the forecast, particularly on Wednesday.
"We're expecting not only high temperatures but also wind ... and given the hot weather that we've had in recent weeks a lot of drying has occurred," she said.
BOM predicts extreme fire danger
The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted extreme fire danger in western Victoria for Wednesday.
"There's a possibility that even more areas could see that extreme fire danger rating or even a chance they could be upgraded to catastrophic fire danger," meteorologist Angus Hines said.
Homes destroyed near Ballarat
On Sunday, Symes confirmed six homes had been destroyed in the blaze that continued to burn west of Ballarat.
"That is very sobering news for those families," she said.
Symes said "support measures" for affected communities would be announced.
A watch and act warning was issued, with residents in Amphitheatre, Raglan and Elmhurst warned it was not yet safe to return to their homes.
An advice warning was issued for other towns west of Ballarat, with locals told to keep up to date with alerts from authorities as the situation evolved.
More than 500 firefighters continue to battle the blaze, which has burnt through 17,000 hectares.
