Lightning sparks bushfires as Victoria burns

Lightning strikes are believed to have started several fires on Friday morning in Victoria's far western region as a storm front thundered across dry bushland.

Firefighters are battling the two blazes that broke out just before 6am (8am NZT) in a national park and pine plantations as temperatures reached the high 30s and a severe fire danger warning was extended for a second day.

One fire in Dorodong near the South Australia border has burned five hectares.

The other fire is burning west of Heywood, near Portland and has spread to over 40 hectares within two hours.

One other small fire in the area was quickly contained.

No properties are at risk at this stage.

The fires come during a total fire ban - the first under the new bushfire warning system - that has been extended to the northeast district on Friday.

A Department of Sustainability and Environment spokesman said the storm front is suspected of starting the fires with lightning and fire authorities will be monitoring the weather closely for further strikes.

"The biggest thing we have to be on standby at the moment over is any fire started by lighting strikes as that front moves across the state," said spokesman Geoff Russell.

The fires comes as the mercury is forecast to soar to nearly 40C degrees in the state's north on Friday before further isolated showers and a wind change is expected to bring cooler temperatures.

A fire danger rating of severe has been issued for Victoria's northern country, Mallee, north central and northeast.

Victoria escaped largely unscathed on Thursday after suffering through its toughest fire conditions since Black Saturday.

There were a number of small grass fires across the state, but fire crews were able to contain them quickly.

Melburnians, however, had to suffer through the hottest November night since 1901 on Wednesday night as temperatures stayed above 28 overnight.

Meanwhile, bushfires in three South Australian regions remain out of control with fire authorities fearful of more blazes on Friday.

More than 100 bushfires were reported throughout the state on Thursday, predominantly caused by more than 25,000 lightning strikes.

Fires at Spring Gully in the Clare Valley, Wirrabra in the Flinders Ranges and Formby Bay on the lower Yorke Peninsula were out of control and of most concern to authorities early on Friday.

While scorching temperatures of above 40C throughout SA on Thursday have eased, forecasts of more lightning strikes on Friday have the Country Fire Service (CFS) on high alert.

The Spring Gully blaze is threatening 20 houses located in inaccessible areas, a CFS spokeswoman said on Friday.

At Wirrabra, at least four fires burning in steep, heavily vegetated areas are yet to be controlled. The bushfires have so far burnt 40 hectares and were caused by lightning strikes.

The Formby Bay bushfire is also yet to be contained and has burnt 30 hectares, with fears the fire will escalate as wind and temperatures increase on Friday.

The biggest bushfire on Thursday, near Curramulka on the Yorke Peninsula, burnt some 1250ha of land.

The fire was started by a mechanical fault in harvest machinery, the CFS spokeswoman said.

At the height of the blaze, which has been contained, five firefighters were injured when two CFS tankers collided in heavy smoke.

One firefighter was hospitalised with head and leg injuries, another suffered shock and the other three sustained minor injuries.

On Thursday, Adelaide recorded its hottest ever November day with a maximum of 42.8C, surpassing the previous record of 42.7C in November 1962.

Other areas of the state also baked, with Port Augusta's 44.8 Celsius among the highest.

A cool change has since moved through the state, dropping temperatures by around 15 degrees.

- AP