Thirty Country Fire Authority crews from various areas, including air support, battled the blaze for one hour before it was contained.

Mount Camel CFA captain Mick Hall said the air support proved pivotal in windy, dry conditions.

“Without the air support we would have been going for a while,” he said.

The fire threatened to cross the Heathcote-Rochester Road but was contained, according to Mr Hall, however it did burn along the tree line of Dowds Lane, making the western side of the road inaccessible to some emergency vehicles.  

Sheep huddled in the corner of a paddock metres away from fire trucks refuelling with water from a dam, with scorched paddocks visible in the distance. 

Mr Hall urged anyone slashing at this time of year to consider the conditions.

“Do it in the morning and have at least nine litres of water on you,” he said.

It was unclear whether the person responsible for the slashing had water with them, Mr Hall said.

Fire crews would spend the evening dousing isolated spots of fire along the tree line of Dowds Lane, Mr Hall said.