UPDATE, Saturday:
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Ballarat has experienced its hottest day in over a year as the mercury climbed above 38 degrees on Friday afternoon, throwing down challenges to firefighters..
Shortly before 3pm the temperature reached 38 degrees, eclipsing the last hot day of 33.9 degrees on January 14.
Firefighters have already been put to the test after a blaze broke out at Glenmore and burnt 145 hectares in steep country south-east of Ballan.
Firefighters were working on the perimeter of the fire assisted by aircraft and would continued to monitor the slow-moving fire overnight.
The emergency warning was downgraded at 6.39am Saturday to stay informed but the fire was still listed as not under control.
Communities at Glenmore, Ingliston, Rowsley were advised there was currently no threat, but they should stay informed and monitor conditions.
On Friday the fire was travelling slowly from Glenmore Road in a north-easterly direction towards Ingliston Road and Ironbark Road.
Smoke will be apparent to see and smell in nearby locations.
More than 35 units including crews from Ballan, Bacchus Marsh rushed to the scene as the fire threatened sheds as winds gusted from.the north and then shifted to southwesterlies.
A "Watch and Act" message was been issued for the surrounding area about 4pm.
The searing temperatures were a stark contrast to only two weeks ago on a Friday, when the temperature struggled to reach a maximum 14 degrees in Ballarat.
The minimum temperature overnight on Thursday a was 18 degrees after a sultry day of 35 degrees on Thursday.
It is the first total fire-ban day of the season and has affected rail timetables.
Emergency services were also called out to rescue a child locked in a car with no windows open at Aldi, Sebastopol about 4pm.
THURSDAY:
Residents in the Ballarat region have been urged to action bushfire survival plans now, with extreme fire conditions forecast for the Central district on Friday.
The Country Fire Authority (CFA) has also declared a Total Fire Ban for the Central and North Central districts, beginning in the early hours of Friday.
"No fires can be lit in the open air between 00:01 hours on 17/02/2023 and 23:59 hours on 17/02/2023," the (CFA) said.
"(The) CFA advises people living in areas at risk of fire to activate their bush fire plan."
Ballarat is forecast to reach a top of 37 degrees on Friday.
Towns to the north of Ballarat, including Castlemaine and Bendigo are facing temperatures in the high 30s to low 40s on Friday.
But a cool change is forecast in the afternoon and evening, bringing with it gusty winds and the possibility of thunderstorms.
"Hot, dry and windy conditions will lead to elevated fire dangers ahead of a cool and gusty southwesterly change moving through central parts in the late afternoon/early evening," a warning from the Bureau of Meteorology said.
"Chance of high based showers and thunderstorms with the risk of dry lightning over southern and eastern districts."
The city is forecast for a top of 25 degrees on Saturday and 28 degrees on Sunday.
Those wishing to catch the train on Thursday afternoon and Friday are also advised to plan ahead, with V/Line activating its extreme heat timetable.
The change means trains will have speed restrictions all day to avoid any train or track faults in the heat.
More information can be found on the V/Line website.
There also are strict rules about the use of fires on a day of Total Fire Ban.
Further information can be found at the CFA's "Can I or Can't I?" website.
