Sheds and livestock have been lost to a grassfire that crossed into Victoria from South Australia on New Year’s Eve and fire crews are on alert for more dangerous weather conditions today.

Key points:

  • A grassfire that began near the South Australian border is not yet under control and is burning in the Meereek State Forest

  • Livestock are reported to have died in the fire, although no homes have been lost

  • Fire crews remain on alert across western Victoria today with dry lightning forecast for the afternoon

With temperatures soaring across the state again today the fire, near the small farming settlement of Poolaijelo, south-west of Edenhope, is not yet under control and emergency warnings remain at watch and act level.

Crews worked overnight to fight the fire, with helicopters and fixed-wing bombers involved in the response.

Incident controller Mark Gunning, from Victoria’s Country Fire Authority, told the ABC there were no reports of homes lost but structures, including hay sheds, had been destroyed.

There are also concerns for native wildlife, with the fire burning in a heavily forested area.

“Once it passed Poolaijelo, it then got into some bluegum country and some very old native forest very famous for its red-tailed black cockatoos, so assessments today will assess the damage in there,” Mr Gunning said.

“We had a number of sheep and cattle caught ahead of the fire and [Agriculture] Victoria assessors will be out there today assisting landholders with stock losses as well, unfortunately.”

Some roads have closed, including the Edenhope-Penola Road and part of the Casterton-Apsley Road.

Dry lightning expected

CFA deputy chief officer Garry Cook said the weekend’s dangerous fire conditions were a reminder to “be very vigilant if you’re enjoying the outdoors” with vegetation “primed to burn”.

The weather bureau has advised dry lightning is likely to occur across parts of Victoria later this afternoon.

“It’s really a potential area that extends from western Melbourne, right up to western Victoria around Horsham and back down into the Otway ranges,” Mr Cook said.

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Parts of central and east Gippsland are also facing dry lightning risks, although conditions in the eastern parts of the state are less dry than the west.

Fire danger ratings across Victoria are high to very high.