Firefighters in Victoria’s west are struggling as a bushfire nears Gellibrand. The fire at Carlisle River is just one kilometre from the town. Forest Fire Management Victoria chief fire officer Chris Hardman said the extremely hot weather yesterday made fighting the fire tough. Speaking on ABC’s Weekend Breakfast, Hardman said, "That fire is right on the edge of Gellibrand and that fire will continue to move today." He added, "And the conditions are a little bit milder, so firefighters will do everything they can to protect the community assets in and around Gellibrand." Residents were told it is too late to leave the area. Hardman also warned about the Walwa fire in the state's north east. He said, "That’s not necessarily going to threaten communities in the days ahead but that fire could significantly increase in size and continue to challenge firefighters for many weeks to come." He described the north as facing "hot and dry and really challenging conditions". "These fires can continue to grow and challenge us. This is very early in the season, this is the peak of the fire season now," he said. "We have had some terrible fires but it’s not a time to turn our gaze away from the challenges ahead." As of Sunday morning, around 1,700 firefighters were deployed across the state to battle the blazes.