The CFA has issued an alert for the large Mt Mercer fires south of Ballarat indicating some of the hay sheds engulfed by the Friday blaze continue to burn.

The message was issued for Bamganie, Barunah Park, Cargerie, Elaine, Lethbridge, Meredith, Mount Mercer, Rokewood, Shelford, Teesdale, Woodbourne, who will continue to notice the smoke.

Firefighters and aircraft continue to patrol the fire but there is currently no risk.

Update, noon Sunday

Roads around the fire site in Bunkers Hill have reopened to local traffic only, including Sago Hill Road.

Powercor also manged to restore power to the area late Saturday after some areas including Haddon were without power for more than 24 hours after reports of trees on power lines.

Due to the power outage the City of Ballarat ran its community information meeting in Smythesdale on Friday.

Watch the full information session here.

The Friday Bunkers Hill fire crossed 134 hectares of land heading in a south easterly direction towards Smythes Creek before the wind change pushed the fire out more toward Ballarat. 

At least four houses have been lost between Friday's fires at Haddon and a larger fire at Mt Mercer.

Three people were taken to hospital as a result of the Haddon fire due to smoke inhalation, while three firefighters required assistance from paramedics, two for smoke inhalation and one with a 'severely lacerated hand'.

CFA have not been able to pinpoint the fire's cause, and are unable to rule out that it was deliberately lit. 

The Courier spoke to the family of 82-year-old Beverley, who lost her house in the fire. She had a lucky escape and remains in hospital following a heart attack on Friday night. Read more here.

"What we saw yesterday, as some strong winds came through in the afternoon, we saw a number of fires, particularly in the western part of the state," said Victoria's emergency management commissioner Andrew Crisp at a press conference. 

"We did see some property losses ... we can confirm there have been losses in relation to property, including some sheds, some vehicles and stock. It would appear there has been quite significant stock losses, in relation to sheep at the Mt Mercer fire."

The CFA believes as much as 200 hectares of rural land has been burnt out at the Mt Mercer fire which was burning at the same time as the Bunkers Hill fire.

Numerous sheds have been destroyed but the CFA is unable to give an exact number of properties damaged.

Update, 11:50am Saturday: 

Emergency services have confirmed this morning the Bunkers Hill fire has been contained. 

A press conference with Victoria's emergency management commissioner Andrew Crisp and CFA operations manager David Harris will take place at 12.30pm.

Several rock blocks remain in place at:-

The Courier understands that some residents still have not been given any access to their properties, and are nervously waiting for detail about whether their buildings still stand. 

CFA members are continuing to check trees. Road closures are expected to be opened up from the south, as the investigation continues to the north of the fire ground where the bushfire started yesterday. 

Earlier:

On one of the last days of the fire season, the largest bushfire to hit the Ballarat region this year swept the Bunkers Hill area yesterday afternoon, destroying several buildings.

A huge emergency operation swung into action just after 2pm to tackle a fire that affected 134 hectares - more than five times the scale of the Buninyong and Hepburn fires earlier in the season.

Three fire-bombing helicopters were deployed to counter the flames just a few kilometres to Ballarat's south-west, along with two fixed-wing fire-bombers.

The bushfire, which threatened Bunkers Hill, Haddon, Lucas, Ross Creek and Smythes Creek, was contained in the early evening. At one stage thick smoke blew through the CBD, with people advised to stay indoors.

Two residents near the fire zone were taken to hospital, including one elderly man said to be highly distressed and suffering from smoke installation. Two firefighters needed treatment for heat-related illness while another suffered a severely lacerated hand.

At the peak of the blaze in the mid-afternoon, there were 60 CFA firetrucks and 25 forest fire management vehicles used to help bring the flames under control.

At least three homes are reported to have been destroyed by the fire, although that has not yet been verified. CFA incident controller Brett Boatman said that around 10 structures had been razed but could not confirm whether they were houses or other buildings.

He called the blaze a "typical late season fire" that was fanned by high winds and extremely dry conditions.

"It was a volatile mixture of weather and topography and fuel out there which made it very difficult to contain," he told The Courier.

One Bells Road resident, whose property was less than a kilometre away, said: "It was very frightening, but we're OK."

"I was able to get two of our three horses out and two of the three dogs out and my husband is with the other horse and dog.

"We've seen the water bombers in the sky and it looks to have done the job.

"We've heard second-hand that there may have been some houses lost in Finchs Road but we are not sure."

A change in the wind direction, as well as rain and a drop in temperature helped firefighters bring the fire under control in the late afternoon and early evening.

There were also power outages, and several roads were blocked overnight, mostly around Finchs Road.

Mr Boatman said the priority in the morning would be to assess what had been lost and damaged: "This has had a fairly significant impact. While it is a rural area, it is a fairly heavily populated rural area just 10 minutes away from Ballarat."

He said it was not uncommon for a late season fire to take hold in such a way in Central Victoria. "This is the third time we have had a late season fire that has done an extraordinary amount of damage in three years," he said and warned that until heavy rains arrived, the fire danger remained very high.

The cause of the fire, which is thought to have started near the Sago Hill turnoff, has not yet been established and fire and police investigators will examine the area.

In an extremely busy day for the CFA, another fire that broke out at Learmonth was contained in the early evening, while a huge fire also affected Mount Mercer. It too was bought under control before nightfall, although the CFA advised residents to remain alert.

Earlier: 

The Bunkers Hill Sago Road fire is not yet under control however fire conditions have eased. Residents should continue to monitor conditions.

Roads still closed are: Finchs Road, Greenhalghs Road, Bells Road and Sago Hill Road.

A relief centre is open at Lucas Community Centre - near the corner of Dyson Drive and Sturt Street in the Lucas Town Centre.

Update, 4.40pm: The emergency warning has been lifted for Learmonth. The Shearers Lane fire is now under control, and an advisory warning is now in place. While there is no imminent threat, the CFA recommends those in the area should stay informed and monitor conditions.

Update, 4.30pm: 

Update, 4.26pm: The wind has changed on an out-of-control bushfire affecting the Bunkers Hill, blowing thick smoke right over central Ballarat - meaning residents, especially those with lung and heart conditions, should stay indoors to minimise smoke inhalation.

It is also recommended that people should avoid any physical activity.

Read more HERE.

Update, 4.15pm: A Bells Road resident said: "It came within less than a kilometre, but fortunately they were able to get on top of things just as the wind changed.

"It was very frightening, scary, but we're OK.

"I was able to get two of the three horses out and two of the three dogs out and my husband Mark is with the other horse and dog.

"We've seen the water bombers in the sky and they've been bombing the crap out of the area, and it looks to have done the job.

"We are here at the pony club, and there's a group here, but there are a number of people here.

"We've heard second-hand that there may have been some houses lost in Finchs Road but at this stage we are not sure."

The danger now lies around houses along Hayes Drive and Winter Valley. More trucks have come from Ararat, Amphitheatre and Lal Lal.

Update, 3.30pm: Police are now blocking off Sago Hill Road. Wind seems to be increasing.

Update, 3.23pm: The emergency zone on the Vic Emergency site has been extended to Ross Creek Road.

People are calling for horse floats to shift animals, while graders are going in off Sago Hill Road to cut firebreaks.

Update, 3.20pm: An 80-year-old suffering smoke inhalation has been taken to the emergency centre in Lucas.

Update, 3.14pm: There are reports of two houses on fire on Finchs Road.

Update, 3pm: A witness on the ground has told The Courier the Bunkers Hill fire, which still remains out of control, is believed to have started in an old property and has run through the tannery, jumping Greenhalghs Road, into the area around the Sago Hill mine.

Finchs Road has been closed to traffic as the fire remains out of control.

WATCH THE VIDEOS BELOW

UPDATE FROM THE CFA

This Emergency Warning is being issued for Bunkers Hill, Cardigan, Haddon, Kopke, Lucas, Smythes Creek.

What you should do

You must take shelter before the fire arrives. The extreme heat is likely to kill you well before the flames reach you.

Shelter in a room that has two exits including one directly to the outside. It is important to be able to see outside so you know what is happening with the fire.

If your home catches on fire and the conditions inside become unbearable, you need to get out and go to an area that has already been burnt.

UPDATE: An emergency warning has now been issued for Finchs Road between Greenhalghs Road and Ballarat-Carngham Road.

An emergency warning has also just been issued for the fire west of Learmonth.

There are also reports of a car on fire in Greenhalghs Road.

EARLIER: A WATCH and act message has been issued for Greenhalghs Road Bunkers Hill with a fast moving grass fire still out of control.

Fire crews are at the scene of a number of blazes that have sprung up this afternoon west and north of Ballarat as high winds cause havoc for condition.

A number of powerlines have been brought down by the high winds, as more than 4000 properties are currently without power.

There are reports the fire has jumped Greenhalghs Road and is heading south.

Multiple vehicles are on the scene of a grass fire at Sago Hill Road Bunkers Hill where a powerline has fallen with police called to direct traffic away from the scene.

At least seven vehicles are also on the scene of a fire at Edmonston Road Addington, west of Learmonth where an advice warning has been issued.

Fire crews have also attended a structure fire at Cuthberts Road Cardigan while an advice warning has also been issued for a grass fire at Mount William Road Skipton.

More to come.

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