A 16-year-old boy will front court after being charged with lighting a grass fire at Kangaroo Flat on Friday.
Police allege the teenager lit the fire at Crusoe Reservoir between 9.30pm and 10.30pm on Friday, a total fire ban day.
Fire crews attended and contained the blaze to about 30 square metres of bush land.
Detective Len Ladner said the fire could have spread further if the wind hadn't have dropped down.
The youth was charged with intentionally causing a bushfire and lighting a fire in the open air during a period of total fire ban.
Police said the maximum penalty for intentionally or recklessly causing a bushfire was 15 years imprisonment.
Full details in tomorrow's Bendigo Advertiser.