Small fires at Ballarat, Meredith, Black Hill, Mt Pleasant and Coghills Creek were put out throughout the day.

A fire burnt almost one hectare of grassland at Meredith.

With a very high fire danger warning issued, firefighters fought to prevent the blaze from taking hold in Meredith State Forest.

Country Fire Authority Region Seven Operations Manager Bob Barry said the potential for damage had caused great concern.

"If the units hadn't got onto it quickly, with the weather the way it is, it could have been a lot worse," he said.

Mr Barry said units from Elaine, Meredith, Lethbridge, Maud and Anakie were called to the fire at 9.30am, but struggled to access the rugged area.

A Helitak water bomber was then mobilised, which quickly contained the outbreak.

Mr Barry said the cause of the blaze, which started near a river and burnt 0.81ha of grass, was yet to be determined.

But he suspected an unattended camp fire was to blame.

Another blaze started at noon at Coghills Creek and the 1/2 hectare grass fire was contained by 12.42pm.

CFA units from Ascot, Miners Rest, Learmonth and Glendaruel attended. The fire is being investigated.

A fire at the Black Hill lookout just before 3pm was extinguished after an hour by three trucks from Ballarat City and Ballarat, and smaller fires were put out in Victoria St at 4.30pm and Ross Creek at 6pm.

The CFA and police also attended an illegal burnoff in Mt Pleasant at 8.30pm.