VicForests to brief fire inquiry

Victoria's forestry business is set to give evidence at a public hearing into the state's fire preparedness.

VicForests, the state-owned business responsible for the harvest and sale of wood from public forests, will give evidence at the parliamentary inquiry into fire season preparedness on Wednesday.

Last week the inquiry heard from former CFA chief executive Lucinda Nolan, who told the committee she either had to back a controversial pay deal that would destroy the CFA, or quit.

Ms Nolan quit in June, following former emergency services minister Jane Garrett who resigned shortly before Premier Daniel Andrews rammed the deal through cabinet.

The fallout from the protracted situation has led to speculation of instability within the government.

Former prime minister John Howard told a Victorian Coalition party room meeting on Tuesday it was in a strong position for the 2018 state election as a result.

"It seems to me there's a lot of internal poison inside this government in Victoria," he said.

Mr Howard remarked that modern first-term governments were "remarkably vulnerable".

"John Howard had a lot of poison in his government, as I understand it, (and) he was very successful as prime minister," Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings told reporters on Tuesday.