Posted by 
Residents in Victoria's Gippsland region who have spent an anxious day sheltering from bushfires now face a new menace.
The weather system providing welcome rain to firegrounds threatens to swamp the state in the coming days.
Abushfire at Briagolong has more than tripled in size to more than 17,500 hectares, fanned by winds reaching 80 km/h.
READ MORE: Emergency warnings issued for two NSW fires
A small night crew will monitor the fire overnight, which could burn for weeks after it burned through a pine plantation.
The warnings for Briagolong and Loch Sport fires have been downgraded but people are being asked to stay alert.
In the coming days, emergency services will turn their attention to the storms.
"Our focus now turns to the flood risk, which is both a riverine and a flash flood risk," State Emergency Service (SES) chief operations officer Tim Wiebusch said.
There are concerns rural areas could be isolated for 24 to 48 hours if the weather hits the east of the state over the next two days.
There is a potential for flash flooding amid thunderstorms, while fire-affected areas around East Gippsland debris and landslides are a concern.
Severe weather has triggered a watch and act warning to prepare to potentially take shelter for communities from Marysville through to the NSW border.
Landowner Mick Cumming and his neighbours stayed to defend their homes as fires burned in their area.
"The whole sky was just literally red and you could see the flames licking up trees," he said.
Firefighters have been working around the clock to contain the fires.
Bushfires can be fast-moving, for the latest information visit the Vic Emergency website here.
"Our emergency services are responding in some really difficult situations," Premier Jacinta Allen said.
The situation has raised fears that not enough has been done to prepare for summer.
"We are doing less than half the amount of fuel reduction burning under this government than we were under the previous one," East Gippsland MP Tim Bull claimed.
"It can only end one way and that is with mega-fires."
In Sale, a relief centre provided shelter for evacuees anxiously waiting to see their houses
"Anxious is an understatement, but you know I'm very eager to get back home," Golden Beach resident Rick Stamford said.
READ MORE: New RBA boss holds rates but worse could be to come
Evacuees Christie Jordan-Phan and Joe Jordan-Phan packed their belongings in the car and left their home.
"We just chucked stuff in the car, we thought we'd do the right thing because I'd rather get out too early then decide to leave too late," Joe said.
"The windows were rattling and you're getting all of these Vic Emergency messages and so many phone calls," Christie said.
Further east at Loch Sport, a separate fire jumped the only road in and out.
The menacing blaze was burning toward the town centre, trapping residents without power.
More than 40 people were given shelter and food at the local pub.
One home was lost in Briagolong on Monday but no further property losses have been reported.
Meanwhile, the severe weather has already battered the state, brought down trees and left hundreds without power.
Doncaster East and Ringwood in Melbourne's east bore the brunt of the storm as trees toppled onto parked cars.
Mount Evelyn locals Ashley and Danielle Marion woke to a loud bang at 4am to find a tree had fallen on their house.
"The bang was pretty scary so we kind of expected the worst when we woke up but it's not as bad as it could be," Danielle said.
The SES responded to 250 calls for help from midnight to midday.
