Police expect the death toll to surpass 40.

All 14 of the confirmed deaths were in towns northwest of Melbourne - six people in one car were killed at Kinglake, four died at Wandong, three at Strathewen and one in Clonbinane.

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe said police would be able to undertake a more thorough search of burnt-out properties on Sunday with the fire in the area under control and cooler conditions.

"This is an absolute tragedy for the state and we believe the figure may even get worse," Mr Walshe told reporters late on Saturday.

"We base that on the fact we're only just getting into these areas now... to search buildings and properties these have been very very significant fires... the figure could get into the 40s."

Police spokesman Senior Constable Wayne Wilson said the clarification on a final death toll would take time.

"We have the official toll at 14. Obviously under the conditions we expect it to go higher, (but) we've got to go through these places in the daylight, where we can search them properly," he told ABC Radio.

"These sort of situations it does take time for clarification to come through... particularly when you are dealing with death.

"We do it as quickly as we can but we've got to do it in a methodical and accurate way."

Meanwhile, the bushfire burning around Kilmore was continuing to cause concern early on Sunday morning, despite a cool change moving in.

The Country Fire Authority (CFA) said the Kilmore East fire, burning in the Yarra Valley near Kinglake, was burning in a northeasterly direction.

The CFA said the wind change at 7.30pm (AEDT) on Saturday produced strong southwesterly gusts, moving the fire activity to a northeastern direction.

Weather conditions have turned favourable overnight and expected to continue to moderate.

But the CFA has warned communities of Kinglake, Kinglake West, Toolangie, Glenburn, Strathewen, Chum Creek, Dixons Creek, Castella, Pheasant Creek, Doreen, Yan Yean, Woodstock, Mernda, Mittons Bridge, Hurstbridge, St Andrews, Panton Hills, Arthurs Creek, Smiths Gully, Christmas Hills, Healesville, Yarra Glen, Coldstream, Tarrawarra and Steels Creek have been and may be directly impacted upon by this fire.