Three homes have been lost, along with 11 sheds and outbuildings across Victoria's south-west, as an out-of-control bushfire continues to burn in the Grampians National Park.
Fire crews are still battling the blaze, which threatened multiple communities on Boxing Day under the worst fire conditions firefighters had seen since the 2019-20 Black Summer fires.
The fire has burnt 74,000 hectares, roughly the size of Singapore, and is expected to burn for weeks to come.
READ MORE: Woman arrested after man found stabbed to death in Ballarat home
Cooler conditions have come as a reprieve for locals in nearby towns including Pomonal, Moyston and Willaura.
Today's high of 25 degrees is a stark contrast to the extreme conditions experienced on Boxing Day when much of the state was placed under a total fire ban with catastrophic and high fire danger ratings.
The intense heat paired with severe, damaging winds, with peak gusts reaching 100km/h, created dangerous conditions.
Forest Fire Management Victoria Chief Fire Officer Chris Hardman said the damage could have been a lot worse if it weren't for the efforts of firefighting crews.
"Without their hard work, we would have had much bigger fires causing much bigger damage," Hardman said.
"On behalf of all Victorians, I would like to thank them because what they did on Boxing Day in extreme fire danger saved a lot more anguish and pain that Victorians now don't have to suffer."
Thousands of firefighters worked across the state on Boxing Day to ensure communities were kept safe.
According to Victoria Police, authorities responded to six illegal campfire callouts on Boxing Day, many of which were discovered in regional Victoria.
READ MORE: South Korean parliament votes to impeach acting president
Fire danger subsides
Multiple Victorian towns have been urged to monitor conditions as several watch and act warnings remain in place.
The latest warnings can be found here.
Firefighters are expected to take advantage of milder weather today, with crews working to reinforce containment lines and extinguish any remaining hot spots.
While the weather has improved, authorities warn conditions are still dangerous for people near the bushfire.
Three residential homes were lost in Moyston along with 11 sheds and outbuildings at Moyston and Pomonal, with impact assessments continuing.
Emergency services are expected to undergo further impact assessments when it is safe for personnel to enter the fire-impacted area.
The bushfire is travelling from Grampians National Park in an easterly direction and has impacted a communications tower at Mt William, meaning internet and mobile services could be affected.
About 163 people have attended assistance relief centres, with two remaining open in Ararat and Stawell.
Government disaster assistance is available for communities affected by the fires.
The disaster relief will apply to residents living in four local government areas: Ararat, the southern Grampians, the northern Grampians and the Macedon Ranges Shire.
"We know this is a challenging time for all communities, and all communities will be supported through this period," Deputy Premier Ben Carroll Carroll said.
DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
