Watch and act warning for bushfire in Victoria's west as strong winds buffet state
Residents in parts of remote western Victoria have been urged to leave their homes as an out-of-control bushfire burns through the Little Desert National Park amid strong winds.
People in Dimboola, Little Desert and Wail, about 340 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, are on high alert after a bushfire warning was upgraded to a watch and act alert about 3.30pm on Monday.
The blaze, which was sparked by lightning on Sunday afternoon, has so far burnt through 3000 hectares in the national park and is travelling in a north-easterly direction towards Horseshoe Bend Road.
"There is a bushfire at Little Desert National Park that is not yet under control," the watch and act alert reads.
"Residents in Horseshoe Bend Road, Stringy Bark Road, Pine Avenue, Banksia Court, Golf Course Road, Bushby Lane and Old Racecourse Road should be on high alert.
"Don't wait, leaving now is the safest option - conditions may change and get worse very quickly. Emergency services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay."
Warnings were downgraded briefly on Monday morning after firefighters used fire breaks to contain the blaze, but a watch and act alert was issued as the fire flared again.
The Horseshoe Bend campground has been closed and visitors to the Little Desert National Park have been asked to avoid the area west of Dimboola.
The fire broke out as strong winds buffeted Victoria with gusts over 100km/h.
The strongest wind gusts recorded overnight were 120km/h at Mt Buller and Mt Hotham, 111km/h at Falls Creek and 91km/h at Mt Hotham Airport and Latrobe Valley.
Aireys Inlet recorded a gust of 107km/h, Port Fairy 70km/h and Warrnambool 78km/h on Monday morning.
Avalon was hit by 87km/h gusts about 10.30am, while Frankston and Geelong recorded winds of 74km/h and 89km/h respectively.
The State Emergency Service received 659 calls for help over the 24 hours to 6am on Monday, with 517 for fallen trees and 74 relating to building damage.
An SES spokeswoman said the busiest units around Melbourne were Nillumbik, Lilydale and Whitehorse, while Traralgon, Diamond Creek and Mildura also saw a high number of callouts.
More than 27,000 properties in the state's east were without power about 7.30am.
Melbourne's overnight temperature hovered around 30 degrees until dropping to 25 degrees about 4.30am as a cool change arrived.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Michael Laczko said Sunday night and Monday morning were "well above" the Melbourne November average overnight minimum of 11.2 degrees.
"It would have been quite similar across the state," he said.
Areas impacted by a severe weather warning for damaging winds on Monday.Credit:Bureau of Meteorology
After Monday's cool change, Melbourne was headed for a top of 23 degrees – relative relief after the mercury hit 32 at 5pm on Sunday afternoon.
The bureau is forecasting a top of 20 in Melbourne on Tuesday before temperatures climb back up to the high 20s and low 30s on Wednesday and Thursday.
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Rachael Dexter is a breaking news reporter at The Age.