A LARGE, fast-moving grassfire near Mia Mia today burnt across three kilometres in a half hour period at one point, fire authorities say. 

Forty-five CFA tankers, 15 Department of Environment and Primary Industry vehicles and three helicopters were sent out to battle the 288-hectare grassfire which began near Mia Mia this morning.

Residents in Mia Mia, Meadow Valley and Glenhope communities were issued an emergency warning just before noon.

The fire crossed Mia Mia-Lancefield Road, also known as the Burke and Wills Track, at about 1pm, shortly before it was brought under control at about 2pm.

Incident controller at the fire's Epsom incident control centre, Paul Bates, said the fire crossing was a concern but crews did a "really good job" of stopping its spread on the other side.

"It only burnt through about eight or nine hectares on the other side," he said.

"Had it kept going it would have got into rugged, hard-to-access terrain."

He said the grassfire had been "quite fast" when it first started.

"It was travelling 2km/h across grassland. In the first half an hour it burnt through 3km, subject to north-west wind and heavy grass fuel."

Mr Bates said the main losses were fences and stock, with no houses lost. 

"It was close around some houses, but good work was put in by the crews to stop it," he said.

But he said it was a poignant reminder of the dangers bushfires posed at the start of a bad fire season.

"It's only mid December, we're in for a long fire season. This is typical of mid to late January."

He urged residents to continue to be vigilant, prepared and to heed warnings. 

Fire investigators are looking into the cause of the fire, believed to have started close to the site of a smaller fire yesterday.

About 10 fire crews are expected to remain overnight as part of a mop-up operation.