Mr Barton said large fires such as those at Wangaratta and Euroa usually occurred in January.

He said the fire risk around Warrnambool was high because the area had dried out about a month earlier than usual due to the dry spring.

Mr Barton said the forecast for the rest of summer was for lower than average rainfall and higher temperatures, including higher overnight temperatures.

While the fire danger was high, Mr Barton said the CFA was ready to tackle any outbreaks.

“We have been planning for it for some months,”he said.

“We are ready.

“We have aircraft around.”

Mr Barton said little burning off was being undertaken by CFA brigades with the fire danger period in place.

District Five operations manager Richard Bourke said the area around Hamilton had also dried off about a month earlier than usual.

Mr Bourke said the Christmas week would not be overly hot in Warrnambool but temperatures would rise further north in the state.

The Bushfire and Natural Hazards Co-operative Re-search Centre (BNHCRC) is predicting an “above normal” fire potential this fire season for all Victorian districts, other than the Mallee and East Gippsland, because of the drier conditions.

The Warrnambool City Council is doing its bit to reduce the fire risk and issued nearly 300 notices to landholders to cut long grass or create fire breaks in outlying areas.

Property owners who have received notices had until yesterday to comply or to authorise the council to carry out the work on their behalf. 

The council will carry out a second inspection and if vegetation is not cleared, it will arrange for a contractor to do the work that must be paid for by the property owner.

Fire prevention officers in the Southern Grampians Shire issued 227 notices in 2014 following property inspections.

Residents have 21 days to comply with the notice, after which fire prevention officers return to re-inspect the property.