The Victorian Government will consider taking legal action if the owners of the Hazelwood coal mine do not pay a multi-million-dollar firefighting bill for the blaze that blanketed Morwell in thick smoke and ash.

In March, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) sent an invoice to GDF Suez for $18 million to cover the costs of battling the fire, which broke out in February last year and burned in the Latrobe Valley town for 45 days.

GDF Suez said it should not have to foot the bill because it had already paid millions of dollars under the state's fire services levy.

But Acting Premier James Merlino said he expected the company to pay.

"If they do not, the Government will consider all options, including court proceedings," he said.

"It took over 7,000 firefighters more than 45 days to get this fire under control. To put a position that a fire services levy would cover the cost of that is just ridiculous."

An inquiry into the mine fire found that it was foreseeable and that GDF Suez was inadequately prepared to manage such a blaze.

The Government recently reopened the inquiry, which will examine claims that people have died due to air pollution from the fire and resulting smoke.

Energy and Resources Minister Lily D'Ambrosio said GDF Suez should be a good corporate citizen and reconsider its position.

"It's about time that GDF Suez put their money where their mouth is," she said.

"[GDF Suez] say they regret and are sorry for the fire having got out of control and not being adequately prepared.

"They now need to make good and pay a contribution to supporting the thousands of firefighters who spent 45 days fighting that terrible fire."

GDF Suez paid 'just under $18m' in fire services levy

A spokesman for GDF Suez said the company was surprised to receive the invoice from the CFA in March, more than 12 months after the mine fire.

"We believe the fire services levy — which is in effect an insurance policy — is designed specifically to cover fire suppression activities, whether they be large or small," the spokesman said in a statement.

"In addition, in the case of the Hazelwood mine fire, [GDF Suez] expended many millions of dollars directly related to the firefighting effort.

"We therefore don't believe it is fair, reasonable or within the scope of applicable regulations for the CFA to seek further payment from [GDF Suez]."

The company said in a later statement that they had paid enough to cover the cost of the Hazelwood fire through the levy over the past decade.

"Over the past 10 years, the fire service levy paid for Latrobe Valley assets (via insurance policies pre the State Fire Service Levy and since its introduction in 2011) totals just under $18 million," the spokesman said.

"If the period since privatisation in 1996 were taken into account, this number would obviously be higher again."