Fire authorities have downgraded emergency warnings in Victoria's Alpine region despite difficult fire conditions overnight.

Key points: Both the Buffalo Creek and Buffalo River warnings were downgraded to watch and act shortly after 5:00am

Both the Buffalo Creek and Buffalo River warnings were downgraded to watch and act shortly after 5:00am Fire crews and aircraft have been actively working on the fire

Fire crews and aircraft have been actively working on the fire For the latest emergency information, visit the Vic Emergency website

An evacuate now warning was in place for those in Buffalo Creek, Merriang and Merriang South, while an emergency warning was also issued for Buffalo River and NugNug.

Both were downgraded shortly after 5:00am to watch and act.

Authorities said firefighters were able to slow the spread of the blaze, but conditions could change at any time.

"If you don't feel safe, don't wait, leaving now is the safest option — conditions may change and get worse very quickly," the Vic Emergency website said this morning.

An emergency warning issued at 8:50pm said the fire was spotting into the Nug Nug area and was travelling in a northerly direction up the Buffalo Valley.

Fire crews and aircraft were actively working on the fire.

An evacuation warning, issued at 7:30pm, said if the fire started to produce its own convection column there would be "high potential" for spotting into the Buffalo Valley.

A relief centre is open at the Myrtleford Senior Citizens Centre on Smith Street, while the Latchford Barracks in Bonegilla is full and no longer accepting people.

Christine Andersen said conditions were bad when she left her property at Buffalo River around midday.

"I couldn't see much in front of me from the smoke, [there was] ash everywhere and you could see the fires through the smoke down the road," she said.

She is staying with her sister in nearby Myrtleford.

It is the third time she has been evacuated this season.

"I'm just renting so I'm not going to stay … it would be awful to wake up in the middle of the night and have flames round the place," she said.

"It's just being cautious, really."

Incident controller Michael Masters told ABC Goulburn-Murray wind speeds of up to 50kph combined with fire activity would increase the fire's intensity "significantly".

The fire near Mount Buffalo can be seen from Glenrowan to the north-west. ( Supplied: Mandy Kohn Goullet )

"For local residents, they would be well aware of what I'm talking about between three and four o'clock yesterday afternoon there was a really large plume development over the top of Mount Buffalo," he said.

Mr Masters said intense heat would create a convection column, caused by air moving rapidly upwards and sucking fuel up with it, such as leaf litter, bark and small twigs.

"And the risk of that is there's a lot of small pieces of burning material suspended in the atmosphere," he said.

"The convection column can push through the inversion layer and actually lean over or be pushed over by the wind and those pieces of burning material can drop out in front of the fire front and start new fires."

Evacuating area 'the safest option'

Mr Masters said he hoped ordering people to evacuate towards Myrtleford was "an overreaction".

"But given the topography there and the fact that there's only really one road in, and one road out, for those communities, it's the safest option."

He said it was possible wind speeds combined with spot fires could stop people reaching safety, and he was not willing to take that risk.

Communities around Mount Buffalo have been told to evacuate north towards Myrtleford. ( Supplied: Vic Emergency )

"And I don't think the community would want to accept that risk either," he said.

"Hence the recommendation to move while we still have time to an area that's safe.

"Go and do a bit of shopping, go and visit the pool or go and watch a movie in Wangaratta. But at least you'll be safe."

Mount Buffalo Chalet being protected

Despite fears circulating online, Mr Masters confirmed the Mount Buffalo Chalet had not been damaged.

Asset protection was undertaken to ensure the chalet and other infrastructure such as Telstra towers were safe, he said.

The fire near Mount Buffalo has been burning for days. ( Supplied: Mark Wright )

"We've removed all the fine fuels from around those buildings and outbuildings and prepared them as best we can an eventuation of fire occurring near them."

Other asset protection strategies include turning on sprinkler systems, filling water tanks and a 300,000 litre swimming pool, and deploying lines of fire retardant around the Chalet and other assets.

Historical items of significance were also removed and placed in secure storage.

Mr Masters said firefighters understood the historical significance of the Chalet "and its deep connection within the broader community".

"That said, the preservation of the life, of both residents and firefighters, remains our highest priority and will not be compromised," he said.



The fire has a perimeter of approximately 550 kilometres and is being managed from the Ovens Incident Control Centre.