SATURDAY, November 23 has been declared a day of total fire ban in the Mallee and Wimmera regions.

The declaration means no fires can be lit in the open air between 12.01am and 11.59pm.

The move came after forecasts put Saturday's temperatures in the mid-to-high 30s with wind gusts up to 40km/h before a cool change expected in the early evening.

CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said if a fire ...