Hellish bushfire crisis claims homes and livelihoods

Authorities confirmed the three adults had been found OK.

Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch said an early estimate that 115 structures had gone up in flames was expected to climb.

The toll includes: Ravenswood-Harcourt (50 structures), Longwood (30), Grass Flat (20), Yarroweyah (10) and Streatham (five).

Some 10,00ha of pine plantation and a “small number” of buildings at Walwa have also been destroyed, while significant losses of livestock, cropping land and vineyards have occurred at most of the locations listed.

“We've also seen impacts to critical infrastructure, in particular the Bendigo railway line that has been impacted by fire and is now closed,” Mr Wiebusch said.

Peter Cookson, Little Yarra Country Fire Authority captain, recounted the terrifying experience of defending properties on Friday night in the regional town of Yarck.

“All hell broke loose”, he said, with conditions intensifying to the point that his unit was forced to withdraw due to the danger.

"It just got so intense, we all had to get out of there,” he told AAP.

As he left the burning town, images of the hills and properties ablaze stayed with him.

“It was very confronting,” Mr Cookson said.

“One of my last visions were the homeowners in their utes out in their paddocks, driving around with their big water tanks.

“We couldn’t tell them what to do, it’s their property. It’s up to them whether they stay and we can’t force them to leave.“

"But that does sit in my mind.”

He confirmed homes had been lost in the small town.

There were 14 relief centres open across Victoria on Saturday, host to shocked families who had lost their homes or were waiting to hear more.

Emotional locals attended a community meeting in Castlemaine, just outside Harcourt on Saturday, where they were given updates on the raging fire.

Victoria was under a total fire ban on Saturday that was set to stay in place on Sunday.

CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said conditions had eased but there was a long way to go before fires were brought under control.

“Understand how the increased fire risk will impact you and ensure your fire plan covers all possible contingencies,” he urged.

Authorities confirmed a firefighter had been hospitalised with third-degree burns to his hands and a volunteer needed hospital treatment after being hit in the face by a hose.

An interstate firefighter also suffered a medical episode and was airlifted to Melbourne.

All three were recovering from their injuries.