Fire crews contain bushfire which threatened communities south of ...

Beaufort resident Len Green spent most of Wednesday preparing for the worst, as bushfires continued to threaten communities in Victoria's west.

"The sprinklers that are on the shed … I saw them at a fire many, many years ago and I saw them save a house and I thought 'I won't forget that'," he said.

"I hoped like hell I'd never see the day that I'd be using them."

Len Green was a firefighter for about 30 years. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)

Mr Green, who is a veteran with post traumatic stress disorder, has lived in the area for nearly 80 years. 

"I've always reckoned that this would go one day, I think the last time that it went was probably 1939 when the whole state went," he said.

He spent about 30 years in the fire brigade but said he could not be involved fighting the current fires, having recently been in hospital to remove a lung.

Len's brother's home at Mount Cole was destroyed in the fire.(Supplied)

His 82-year-old brother lost his house in the Bayindeen bushfire north-west of Ballarat last week.

Authorities have said at least six homes were lost in that fire, which is still burning out of control.

"I don't know how many houses have been lost … it's been a lot," Mr Green said.

Wednesday was declared a "catastrophic" fire danger day for the state's Wimmera region.

Temperatures soared into the 40s and some wind gusts exceeded 80 kilometres per hour as firefighters worked to suppress the Bayindeen blaze north-west of Ballarat.

Country Fire Authority (CFA) chief officer Jason Heffernan said the Bayindeen blaze had jumped containment lines several times over the course of the day but now remains within containment lines.

Firefighters worked to put containment lines around the blaze burning north-west of Beaufort.(ABC News: Danielle Bonica)

South of Ballarat, hundreds of people were urged to evacuate from a separate grassfire, which ignited on Wednesday afternoon and threatened communities at Dereel and Corindhap.

The blaze was contained and the emergency advice was downgraded to Watch and Act level.

Fire authorities said the fire started when the winds were at their strongest, which caused the blaze to spread quickly. 

Former mayor of the Golden Plains Shire Helena Kirby helped her son evacuate from his home near Dereel. 

"I helped them make sure everything was safe, get the hose on the house and grabbed a few belongings that they really wanted," she said.

She said it looked like most people in the community heeded the evacuation messages and left.  

Earlier in the day, Beaufort resident Rebecca McErvale followed emergency advice and evacuated to Ballarat with her two children.

Ms McErvale's family lost their main farm at Lexton, including 300 sheep, when fires tore through the community in 2019. 

Dozens of aircraft have been working to contain the fire near Beaufort.(ABC News: Danielle Bonica)

She said it was a "triggering" day.

"It's such a rollercoaster of emotions just sitting and waiting," she said. 

"You remember the days of losing so much in the previous fires, the fear that comes with knowing what's to come.

"The smoke, the smell the haze, the fireys, the pages going off, the helicopters above. It's just so overwhelming."

Adding to Mrs McErvale's worries is the safety of her husband Rodney,  who is a volunteer firefighter.

"It's terrifying … there's lengthy periods where you’re out of contact with your husband and your close friends in the community," she said.

"You don't know where they are, you don't know when you’ll be in contact with them next."  

Beaufort resident Len Green set up sprinklers to try and save his home.(ABC News: Danielle Bonica)

Mr McErvale was called out to the fires last Thursday and hasn't stopped since. 

"You worry because they are so exhausted. They are physically spent. They haven't slept," she said. 

"I know my husband probably got two hours of sleep last night. It's horrendous." 

Hundreds of fire fighters are on the ground and in the air, some travelling from interstate to provide support and relief.