Forest Fires Management worker Mat Kavanagh, 43, died when his vehicle crashed on the Goulburn Valley Highway on January 3.

Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville announced on Wednesday his death was related to the state's massive bushfires, following a police investigation.

Forest Fires Management Chief Fire Officer Chris Hardman says Mr Kavanagh was "well-loved" and his death will be "devastating" for everyone in the sector.

"For those people who knew Mat, it's going to take a long time. I can't imagine what their family is going through and what Matt's colleagues are going through," he told reporters in Melbourne.

"It's just such a very sad day."

News of Mr Hardman's deaths comes as people in Victoria's northeast, north country and East Gippsland are being urged again to leave the regions before conditions worsen on Friday.

"Those parts of the state are tinder-dry and they're ready to go again," Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp told reporters.

So far 1.2 million hectares have been scorched in fires across the state, with about 300 homes confirmed lost.

Twenty-one fires are still burning, mainly in the northeast and East Gippsland.

Temperatures nearing 40C are forecast in some areas on Friday, along with northerly winds, ahead of a change in the afternoon.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued an extreme fire danger forecast for the north of the state on Friday, with a severe warning for the Mallee and northeast districts.

"We're likely to see the highest risk across eastern parts of Victoria, in particular, the northeastern parts of Victoria, where that wind change is really going to gather strength as we move into the afternoon," meteorologist Tom Dellamotte said.

"We will potentially see some gusts as high as 70-80km/h move through with the west to southwesterly change."

Authorities are concerned fires in the alpine region and East Gippsland could also merge during the change.

Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville said humidity will be greater on Friday than it was when bushfire conditions worsened last week.

But anyone in fire-affected areas should leave, she stressed.

"The safest place to be is outside those fire-affected areas and in built-up areas," she told reporters.

Meanwhile, 200 people who left Mallacoota on HMAS Choules on Tuesday arrived at Hastings on the Mornington Peninsula on Wednesday afternoon.

About 4000 people became isolated when the coastal community was cut off by the fires a week ago, with 142 believed to be still waiting to be airlifted out.

A low-level alert for the area near the NSW border cites reports that local residents have been cutting their way out of closed-off areas.

"Residents must stop this immediately," the warning reads.

"It is also not safe to drive on these roads until they have been treated for hazardous trees and other damage. There is also still active fire in some of these areas."

There are 4900km of roads, including tree hazards, to assess in fire zones.

Victoria Police has also confirmed it does not have intelligence the East Gippsland or northeast blazes have been man-made.

Australian Associated Press