Statewide, temperatures would be eight to 10 degrees above average on Friday, she said.
The heat would be well above average along the coast, with Warrnambool forecast to hit 31 degrees on Friday.
“[We’re] looking at [Friday] being particularly widespread in that extra burst of heat,” Reid said. “Saturday is also looking pretty drastic everywhere across the state, [with temperatures] being eight to 10 degrees above average.
“Then it’s really [moving] into more of the central parts, and then through the Gippsland area that we’ll see those really hot temperatures, like 12 to 14 degrees above average.”
The Mallee region is expected to reach 38 degrees on Friday. Melbourne is forecast to hit 35 degrees on Friday and Saturday.
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In north-east Victoria, Wangaratta and Albury-Wodonga are expected to record maximum temperatures of 36 degrees on Saturday.
Country Fire Authority chief executive Jason Heffernan said the forecast hot temperatures and a drop in humidity could be key drivers for fires to develop rapidly.
“What will be a little bit unique and a little bit different from last week, however, is that winds will be a lot less than what we saw last weekend,” he said.
“So for the fire conditions, it will mean that available fuels – particularly grassfire fuels – will be what we call ‘preheated’, and will remain available to fire over the next couple of days.
“I do anticipate that fires will start as a result of that; however, as long as the winds don’t mix down and increase, firefighters should be able to get on top of fires relatively quickly.”
Monique, Charlie, Makayla, Nik, Angelina and Nathan hit St Kilda beach on Thursday after finishing their exams.Credit: Simon Schluter
Firefighters will keep a close eye on Victoria’s north-west, west and south-west, particularly in areas affected by bushfires last weekend, Heffernan said.
Last week, a bushfire burnt more than 700 hectares at Chapple Vale, a community about 60 kilometres north-west of Apollo Bay, while homes were destroyed in a separate fire that razed more than 1250 hectares at Kadnook, near the South Australian border.
“We haven’t got the rain in spring that potentially the bureau was predicting, so again, those [western] areas still remain in some cases … the driest on record, so we’ll go into the summer season still holding that part of the state as a concern,” Heffernan said.
Firefighters hoped for storms and rain over the next couple of days but those may not eventuate, Heffernan said.
Smoke from the Gellibrand fire last Saturday afternoon.Credit: Nine
“In which case, the next three days of weather will rapidly bring us ever closer to the peak fire conditions as we lead into summer,” he said.
Authorities said Victorians should be cautious mowing and slashing grass, and look out for vulnerable people – including the elderly and children – during the heatwave.
Victoria Police said they would bolster the number of officers they have on the ground at beaches, parks and transport hubs from Thursday.
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