EMERGENCY services have lined the Heywood Recreation Reserve with tents to form a base camp for people fighting fires in the far south-west today.
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The camp, called "Woody", is accommodating more than 170 people and will serve meals to up to 300 firefighters.
The Portland camp in south-west Victoria is supporting the personnel fighting fires at Lake Condah and Cobboboonee National Park, and others near Hotspur, Digby and Casteron.
The camp's manager Bruce Tabenar said contractors were providing the meals, and the site was aided by a generator in case of power failure in the town.
"It is both difficult and challenging setting up a base camp," Mr Tabenar said.
"However with the help of local businesses and people the task is made much easier. The support provided has been tremendous."
The fires have been burning for more than a week, with the Lake Condah fire threatening world heritage sites in Budj Bim National Park. It's the only in the region that was not yet under control on Monday morning.
Incident Controller Dale Antonysen said Forrest Fire Management and Parks Victoria have closed the Budj Bim National Park until at least New Year's Day.
"We are asking people to not travel if they do not need to; keep the roads free for emergency service to move around with ease," Mr Antonysen said.
Terry Sim, who lives on the edge of the east side of Budj Bim National Park, said he and his elderly neighbours were leaving their homes today in case the Lake Condah fire gets away.
He said his house was within half a kilometer of the trees.
Mr Sim said there was "simply no way" he or his neighbours could defend their properties if the fire broke the southern boundary in the predicted high winds and hot weather.
He said he had taken his dogs and a few possessions.
"Knowing the risk, there's no sense staying," Mr Sim said.
"If it runs over the hill with the wind behind it I'm not going to be able to fight it.
"There are more important things to fight."
