A class action has officially been lodged over one of the St Patrick's Day fires in south-west Victoria.

Writs have been filed to the Supreme Court in which a group of property owners seeks to take against electricity distributor Powercor over the fire in Garvoc.

Police reports say the fire was started by a downed power pole creating electrical arcs that ignited vegetation.

The documents allege Powercor failed to provide a safe distribution system and adequately maintain and inspect power poles.

Countless livestock, 63 sheds and twenty-four houses were destroyed in the fires in Garvoc, Terang, Camperdown and Gazette, which together burned about 15,000 hectares of land.

Maddens Lawyers Principal Brendan Pendergast says up to 50 properties were affected by the Garvoc fire, which created at least $20 million worth of damage.

“We're claiming compensation for property loss and damage,” he told the ABC.

“There may also be some people affected by that fire who have claims for personal injury.

“We won't really know until the registrations for the class action close in several months’ time… but just looking at the fire field, it wouldn't surprise me if the total loss and damage in respect to that fire exceeds $20 million.

“And unfortunately the fire adjacent to it, the Terang fire, it wouldn't surprise me if the damages bill there was more than double the Garvoc fire.”

The law firm is looking at legal action over the other fires as well.

Powercor says it is fully cooperating with an ongoing Energy Safe Victoria investigation.