A BRUSH cutter was the cause of a bushfire that broke out on crown land opposite Epsom Primary School on Wednesday. 

CFA, DEPI crews and two helicopters took about half an hour to control the fire in Howard Street, Epsom which started about 1.20pm.  

It burnt one hectare of grassland. 

Incident controller Tony Scott said the One Tree Hill fire tower notified authorities of the fire after smoke was sighted.  

He said the blaze could have been a lot worse if the weather had been warmer. 

"It was started by a brush cutter," he said. 

"A guy was brush cutting around the trees and it hit a rock, and sparked a flame.

"It took everyone by a bit of surprise.

"On the wrong day it could have been (serious)."

Epsom Primary School acting principal Andrew Whatley said students were kept in their classrooms as a safety measure.

EARLIER:

FIRES crews took almost half an hour to extinguish a blaze near Epsom Primary School. 

The fire broke out about 1.20pm in Howard Street, Epsom. 

Three trucks and two helicopters worked to control the fire. 

Epsom Primary School students were told to remain in their classrooms. 

The school was not evacuated.