ON THE JOB: Crews from Dimboola, Jung, Coromby and Tarranyurk wait near Glenisla on Thursday. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER
COOLER weather conditions at the weekend helped volunteers to keep the Grampians bushfire contained.
Lightning sparked the bushfire in the southern Grampians almost two weeks ago.
Horsham Incident Control Centre public information officer Chris Carey said on Sunday that everything was 'settling down nicely'.
"The fire is not spreading any more and is staying within containment lines," he said.
"It is still not yet under control as there is fire activity within the lines."
Mr Carey said over the next few days communities would still be able to see smoke and crews would continue to work on the blaze.
"Overall, things are looking good, and hopefully they stay that way," he said.
GALLERY: View Mail-Times photographer Paul Carracher's fire photos here
Mr Carey said the weather over the past few days had assisted crews working on the fire.
"We have had cooler conditions and lighter winds, which should hopefully continue over next dew days," he said.
"Every day that goes past helps us strengthen containment lines and keep this fire where it should be."
The fire was about 35,875 hectares in size by this morning.
Emergency alerts were issued to Glenisla and Cherrypool on Friday, but they have since been downgraded to advice messages.
Glenisla's Theresa French said the fire had been close to her family's Henty Highway home since 2pm on Thursday.
She said despite the proximity to the blaze, the fire had not impacted their property.
"There is a paddock behind us that got a bit burnt, but it hasn't reached us yet," she said.
Mrs French said it looked like the fire travelled up Red Rock Road and burnt another neighbour's paddock.
She said fire crews had been back burning around their property to help control the blaze.
"The fire is on two sides of us, and it hasn't come any closer in the last few days," she said.
"It has burnt up to our boundary fence on one side, so you could say it is at our back door."
Mrs French said flames from the fire were visible on Thursday night.
About 300 Department of Sustainability and Environment, Parks Victoria and Country Fire Authority crews have been battling the blaze each day.
Horsham Incident Control Centre public information officer Jenny McGennisken praised crews over the weekend for their fantastic work.
Ms McGennisken said losses included three sheds, 128 kilometres of fences, 60 sheep, 1500 hectares of grassland and pasture, 65 hectares of hardwood plantation and 30 tonnes of hay.
Committee meetings were hosted in Cavendish and Balmoral on Friday.
Victoria Valley Road reopened at 4pm on Friday and the Henty Highway reopened at 2.30pm Sunday.
Speed limit advisory signs are in place in the fire-affected area between Mooralla and Cherrypool.
Mr Carey said roads were still closed in the Grampians National Park due to dangerous conditions and hazardous trees.
He said fire crews were also continuing to work on the fire in the Cassidy Gap area.