Total fire ban for parts of Victoria THE northwestern and northern parts of Victoria face a total fire ban with high temperatures and northerly winds forecast. NO fires can be lit on Thursday in the open air in the northwestern Mallee district, where temperatures are expected to reach between 30 and 35 degrees. The total fire ban also applies to the Northern Country district in the state's central north, where temperatures are forecast to be in the low-to-mid 30s. Country Fire Authority chief officer Euan Ferguson said most of western Victoria and parts of northern Victoria are experiencing very dry conditions after three months of below-average rainfall. "High temperatures and wind, combined with the lack of recent rainfall, are expected to create tough conditions for our firefighters tomorrow in the north and northwest of the state," Mr Ferguson said on Wednesday. The total fire ban means any fire in the open air is forbidden, along with welding, grinding, soldering and gas cutting. Mr Ferguson said the earlier than usual fire danger period should serve as a wake-up call for residents in high-risk areas to get their properties ready for a long and challenging summer.