Fire in Budj Bim National Park expected to reach farmland this afternoon

Emergency services will host a community meeting in the Macarthur hall at 11am.

UPDATE 9.25PM: THE FIRE, south-west of Macarthur, is travelling from Budj Bim National Park in a northerly direction, and has now downgraded to a "watch and act" status.

Residents in the Ardonachie area are advised to keep updated via the VicEmergency website and App.

UPDATE 7.51PM: AN EMERGENCY Warning has been issued for Ardonachie.

The out-of-control bushfire near Lake Condah is travelling from Budj Bim National Park in a northerly direction.

Residents of Patons Road, Sparrows Road, Ardonachie School Road and Lake Gorrie Road could be impacted at anytime within the next hour.

Emergency services are directing those leaving to use Mount Eccles Road and head towards Macarthur or to the home of family and friends away from the warning area.

Residents are advised to leave now as the safest option, are reminded to take their pets, mobile phone and medications and to drive slowly with headlights on.

EARLIER: FIREFIGHTERS are working to contain an out-of-control fire as it pushes out of Budj Bim National Park onto private land.

Authorities issued a "watch and act" message for Bessiebelle and Ardonachie on Wednesday afternoon.

The fire area is now covering more than 700 hectares in the UNESCO World Heritage site and has been moving slowly in a north-easterly direction.

An advice message remains in place for communities including Macarthur, Broadwater, Homerton, Knebsworth, Lake Condah, Warrabkook and Dunmore.

A lightning strike started the fire on Monday night with the fire from Tuesday sending plumes of smoke above the national park, formerly known as Mt Eccles.

Country Fire Authority Divisional Commander Greg Kinross said the fire was in "in-accessible country" burning in an east-north-easterly direction.

He said the fire was expected to push out from the national park into private land around 5pm on Wednesday, when firefighters "should be able to contain it".

"There is some structures in and around the base of Mount Eccles, there are some dwellings just outside of it. They are not under threat yet, but we have got the strike team in place ready if there is any threat," Mr Kinross said.

"It's not travelling extremely fast today, but we are making sure we are looking after the assets that might be threatened."

Authorities have set up a staging area at the Macarthur Recreational Reserve where firefighters can be fed and monitor the fire.

Mr Kinross said there was about 80 volunteers fighting the fire on New Year's Day, and expected they would work until 11pm.

There are also dozens of Forest Fire Management Victoria personnel working on the fire.

The fire brought smoke and ash to nearby towns and farmland, where residents have remained cautious.

The Macarthur district was covered in thick smoke, stretching as far east as Hawkesdale.

Macarthur resident Merilyn Cook said ash had fallen in the town on New Year's Eve.

"A lot of people are on the emergency app and it's just wait and see at the moment, there may have been people who have left but certainly there has been no mass exodus," Ms Cook said.

Country Fire Authority strike teams are on standby in case they are needed to help.

Port Fairy captain Garth Palmer said they were on standby and had been told they would be given an hour's notice if the fire came out of the park which is also known as Budj Bim National Park.

"There's a lot of equipment on standby if and when it comes out," he said.

He said there were three strike teams and 15 trucks waiting and bulldozers and graders on standby.

"We've got the weather in our favor," Mr Palmer said.

Keep up-to-date with the latest emergency information through the VicEmergency website via emergency.vic.gov.au/respond/ or the mobile app. If the advice changes to "Watch, Act" put your fire emergency plans into action.

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