Melbourne has managed to finish off the summer without a 40-degree day, but the risk of a devastating bushfire still remains a reality across most of the state.

With the summer season officially ending on March 1, the city failed to break the 40-degree barrier for the first time in more than a decade, though central and western regions of the state are still tinder dry and face an ongoing fire threat.

Utah the whippet and owner Hugh McKenzie cooling off at St Kilda. Credit:Chris Hopkins

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Phil King said it was unusual to see the CBD escape a 40-degree roasting this year, considering how the summer actually ended with slightly higher than average temperatures.

"It's quite incredible that we didn't get one," he said.