A forecast return to extreme weather similar to Black Saturday has Victorians bracing for another desperate day across the state.
Temperatures up to 40 degrees and high winds - the worst conditions since February 7 when 210 people died and more than 2,000 homes were lost - are tipped for Victoria on Friday.
The forecast has led to warnings to residents in towns close to 10 bushfires still burning around the state to decide early whether they will leave or stay to defend their homes.
The situation is not expected to be as severe as on February 7 when temperatures rose above 46 degrees and high winds fanned the flames that created Australia's worst natural disaster.
But Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) spokesman Kevin Monk said the situation was still perilous.
"We are asking people all around the state to be prepared ... the conditions are still pretty severe, the fire danger tomorrow is extreme," he told AAP.
Major fires include the north and south Murrindindi complex fires, the Bunyip fire near Melbourne's southeast and the Wilsons Promontory fire in the south of the state.
"People living around those places should be alert to smoke coming in from those burnt areas and make sure bushfires plans are ready," Mr Monk said.
"The major problems are on the eastern side of the Murrindindi fire south of Lake Eildon. There's still a lot of fire activity there."
Hot, strong northerly winds will blow across the state until a cool change, dry lightning storms and south-westerly winds arrive late tomorrow afternoon, creating more problems for firefighters.
"That will cause a 90-degree change in the fire's direction, making firefighting difficult with turbulent fire conditions until the cool change arrives," Mr Monk said.
"All it takes is for an ember to get outside a control line and touch an unburnt patch of bush and it goes up again.
"If we get through tomorrow in reasonable shape that gives us cooler conditions to do control work on the fires."
Hundreds of firefighters have spent the past week containing fires and mopping up in preparation for Friday.
They have succeeded in containing most of the fires but the potential for flare-ups is regarded as extreme.
Extra firefighters and aircraft are on standby with many national and state parks closed to the public.
The Education Department has ordered 190 government schools and 146 children's centres to be closed on Friday as a precaution in the face of the fires.
Education Minister Bronwyn Pike said parents in all affected areas will be notified of the closures.
"Given the CFA (Country Fire Authority) has advised us of extremely difficult weather conditions and the fact we have existing fires in places, this is precautionary action," Ms Pike said, adding that the priority is to make sure children are safe.
"The duty of care really is with the parents and their families once the schools are closed," Ms Pike said.
In another turn to the fires, two men have been arrested for looting from homes burned and abandoned on Black Saturday.
The two 18-year-old men are accused of stealing from burnt-out houses in Narre Warren South, in Melbourne's southeast, on February 7.
One of them, Toese Vousiutu, recently participated in a trial game with National Rugby League team Melbourne Storm.
A 39-year-old South Australian firefighter, Ian Kleinig, has been cleared of spinal injuries after being hit by a large tree branch while helping his Victorian colleagues near Alexandra.
The father of two was in an induced coma in the Royal Melbourne Hospital on Thursday, his condition listed as serious but stable.
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