Victoria's northeast is littered with ghost towns in what is usually a peak tourist season as winds bring the state's raging bushfires close to communities previously untouched by the inferno.
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Towns like Bright along the Great Alpine Road were eerily quiet as the wind picked up dramatically on Friday afternoon, with smoke from a fire near Abbeyard spilling over parts of the ranges of the Mount Buffalo National Park.
Earlier evacuation messages for people in other alpine towns including Mount Buffalo have now been replaced with emergency warnings as it is too late to safely leave.
A cool change hit the region and East Gippsland on Friday, bringing with it strong southwesterly winds of 70km/h to 100km/h as well as about 10mm of rain.
While the change will move through by morning, residents have been warned to stay alert and to heed warnings.
"If you are told to leave a community, and you can leave, then you should leave. It's the least we can all do to support those that are putting their lives on the line to keep the rest of us safe," premier Daniel Andrews said.
Owner of the Eagle Range Estate winery in Ovens, Frank Ivone, closed his business, in part because there have been no tourists flowing through from nearby Bright, but is staying put.
"Some call it a ghost town," he told AAP.
The fifth-generation local is sticking around on Friday night to defend his winery and home if needed, hoping his dams, water pumps and firefighting hoses will hold him in good stead.
He said those who have stayed behind have predominantly dealt with similar conditions before.
"People are not blase about it, but they're well aware of how fires travel around here," he said.
Ten emergency alerts, the highest-possible level, are currently in place while one evacuation message remains for Bennies, Cheshunt South, Markous, Rose River, Top Crossing, Upper Rose River and Wabonga Platea.
Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said the three areas of most concern are Mount Buffalo, Cann River and Bruthen and Buchan.
"Today is not over. We know that it is the lead-up to the change, the change and post-change, is where the real risk is for us," he said.
"What has worked in our favour - we haven't had a lot of new starts today."
Mr Crisp said a huge smoke column had sprouted from the Cann River fire and he is worried about spotting going into the Buckland Valley in Bright and the Wandiligong Valley.
It is also highly likely fires on the NSW border will join with fires in that state.
There are 21 fires burning across the state and more than 1.3 million hectares have been burnt since November 21.
The fires have killed three men, while 286 homes and 400 other buildings have been damaged.
Forest Fires Management worker Mat Kavanagh, 43, died when his vehicle crashed on the Goulburn Valley Highway on January 3.
Mick Roberts from Buchan and Maramingo Creek man Fred Becker were killed in the fires at East Gippsland on New Year's Day.
Victoria's state of disaster declaration has been extended into the weekend and a total fire ban is in place for the Mallee, Northern Country, North Central, North East, East Gippsland, West and South Gippsland.
Australian Associated Press
