Authorities have eased warnings for an out-of-control bushfire that damaged three homes in Melbourne's north, as a wind change sweeping Victoria brings new challenges for communities threatened by blazes in the state's east.

Key points: A volunteer firefighter died and two others suffered burns while battling a separate blaze near the New South Wales border

A volunteer firefighter died and two others suffered burns while battling a separate blaze near the New South Wales border Emergency warnings are in place for several blazes across the state, mostly in East Gippsland

Emergency warnings are in place for several blazes across the state, mostly in East Gippsland For the latest information, visit the Vic Emergency website

People in the Melbourne suburbs of Mill Park, Greensborough, Bundoora and Plenty were told to leave their homes on Monday afternoon as the Mill Park bushfire moved towards properties bordering the Metropolitan Ring Road.

The fire has caused minor damage to at least three houses, fire authorities confirmed.

After extensive waterbombing, authorities managed to stop the spread of the fire beyond Clovemont Way in Bundoora.

Helicopters dumped water near houses threatened by the bushfire at Bundoora. ( AAP: Ellen Smith )

Firefighters warned a south-westerly wind change on Monday night was expected to change the direction of the fire, pushing it north-east towards the Plenty and Yarrambat areas.

A relief centre was opened at the Whittlesea Civic Centre in South Morang.

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Rob, who lives in Greensborough, told ABC Radio Melbourne he and his neighbours decided to leave the area as smoke built up in the area about 4:00pm.

"We'd been collaborating with all the neighbours, everybody's had their cars backed out and whatever they wanted to take with them in the cars," he said.

"We all decided that it was time to leave."

Bundoora resident Bambi Butera said she had seen some smoke from the fire earlier in the day, but when she and her husband returned later in the day they realised the situation had escalated.

"With all the fire engines and all that … my husband and I decided to get ready and start packing a few important things in the car," she said.

Bambi Butera said she had never seen anything like the bushfire threatening Bundoora. ( ABC News: Emilia Terzon )

Ms Butera said she had packed passports and photos into her car and was preparing to head to her sister's house to get away from the bushfire.

Police said the cause of the fire was yet to be determined, but that police would remain involved if it was deemed to be suspicious.

Separately, a volunteer firefighter from New South Wales has died and two others suffered burns while battling a blaze near Jingellic, close to the Victorian-New South Wales border.

Bushfire moving towards Mallacoota

Further east, several bushfires burning across East Gippsland intensified during Monday's hot and dry weather, resulting in about a dozen emergency warnings being issued over the course of the day.

Smoke from the East Gippsland bushfires has left a haze over the coastal town of Lakes Entrance. ( ABC News: Nicole Asher )

Authorities feared one bushfire, which started at Wingan River on Sunday night, was likely to move back towards the remote town of Mallacoota when the south-westerly wind change arrived about 4:00am.

Firefighters — who were pulled out of East Gippsland forests earlier in the day to keep them safe and better protect townships — were cutting down trees in the Mallacoota area to mitigate risk, the ABC was told.

Former ABC 7.30 journalist Gus Goswell, who is in Mallacoota, said emergency authorities had advised people to move to the jetty foreshore as it was the safest place in town.

"There are several hundred other people waiting here with us, lots of kids and dogs, everyone nervous but as confident as we can be that we are in the safest place," he wrote on Facebook.

"At a community meeting down here [earlier] we found out the plan of last resort if the worst happens is to put a ring of CFA vehicles around us and create a wall of water to shield us.

"We are hoping for the best but preparing for the worst."

One East Gippsland resident told the ABC they could see a fire moving from their property, west of Bruthen. ( Supplied )

Communities at Nowa Nowa, Bruthen, Suggan Buggan, Genoa, Goongerah, Ensay and the outskirts of the popular tourist town of Lakes Entrance were also under emergency warnings for separate bushfires on Monday night.

Samantha Corbett was on holiday in Mallacoota with her family when the emergency warning was issued.

"We just heard that the plan is that firefighters will set up trucks around us at the wharf [and] spray it to try to keep us safe," she said.

"I wanted to leave yesterday but the family voted and thought it was safer to stay given one road out.

"If there was an accident and the wind changed we would be trapped in the road.

"It's very, very scary. I have never been so terrified in my life."

Ms Corbett said there was constant thunder and lightning, and hundreds of people were camping on the waterfront, waiting for instructions.

The Princes Highway was closed east of Bairnsdale during Monday afternoon as the risk of bushfires impacting the highway increased and people were told to take shelter instead of leaving.

Robert Phillips, who co-owns Mallacoota's IGA store, said he was "flat out" in the morning at his shop but things had quietened down as a large number of people left the town.

In their emergency warning for Mallacoota, authorities said it was too dangerous to leave and people should instead gather at the Mallacoota Main Community Hall and the Allan Drive Karbeethong Boat Ramp if they did not have a safer option.

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Mr Phillips said the town was preparing to face its biggest threat from the bushfire when a south-westerly wind change was expected to push the fire towards it.

"There's nothing we can do about it," Mr Phillips said.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the change, which would also bring cooler temperatures, would reach Melbourne about 8:00pm and Mallacoota about 4:00am on Tuesday.