VICTORIA — A Total Fire Ban (TFB) has been declared for much of Victoria tomorrow, Tuesday, February 17, 2026, due to forecast extreme fire weather.
The TFB applies to the following fire districts:
- Central;
- North Central;
- South West;
- West and South Gippsland and
- Wimmera fire districts.
Tomorrow is expected to be hot, with temperatures in the low to mid-30s in many areas. Moderate northerly to north-westerly winds are forecast during the day, before a gusty south-westerly change moves through parts of the state later in the afternoon and evening.
There is also a risk of isolated thunderstorms, particularly in western and central districts.
A Total Fire Ban means no fire can be lit in the open air or allowed to remain alight from 12:01am to 11:59pm on the day of the declaration in affected districts.
CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said the conditions could lead to a spike in fire danger.
“We’re seeing very dry fuels across large parts of the state, and when that’s paired with low humidity, fires can start easily and spread quickly,” Jason said.
“Any spark under these conditions has the potential to turn into something serious, particularly ahead of gusty winds or thunderstorms.”
He urged the community to strictly follow TFB restrictions and avoid activities that could cause a fire to start.
“Days like tomorrow are about prevention. The safest choice is to postpone activities involving machinery and keep up to date with changing conditions,” Jason said.
Victorians can find out if it is a Total Fire Ban on the CFA website www.cfa.vic.gov.au, where it is usually published by 5pm the day before a Total Fire Ban.
For more information on what you can and can’t do visit the Can I or Can’t I page on the CFA website.
Victorians should also make sure they have access to more than one source of information.
They include:
CFA or VicEmergency Twitter or Facebook.
ABC local radio, commercial and designated radio stations of Sky News.
The VicEmergency App.
The VicEmergency website www.emergency.vic.gov.au.
The VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.
