More than a dozen fire vehicles rushed to an out-of-control burn off, just metres from the Enfield State Forest - and hours away from the start of the Fire Danger Period.
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The alarm was raised at 1.07pm Sunday, with reports of a grass and scrub fire in a paddock off Buninyong-Mount Mercer Road at Grenville.
Thirteen CFA units fought the blaze, which burnt areas less than 100m from the property's boundary with the densely-wooded Enfield State Forest.
Brigades included Napoleons, Smythesdale, Buninyong-Mount Helen, Mount Buninyong (Yendon), Mount Mercer, Elaine and Hardies Hill.
It was brought under control at 2.22pm and was declared safe at 6.16pm.
On Saturday, CFA firefighters were called to a pine plantation fire on Greene Drive, Mount Clear.
Emergency services received the first calls at 1.50pm.
Five CFA tankers worked on the blaze from the Buninyong-Mount Helen, Wendouree, Ballarat City and Sebastopol brigades.
It was under control within half an hour, and crews remained in the area for another two-and-a-half hours to put out hot spots.
The CFA said it was believed the blaze began at an unattended camp fire.
Fire Danger Period
The Fire Danger Period kicked in on Monday morning for Golden Plains and Ballarat.
It has also been activated in the Moorabool, Hepburn, Pyrenees, Ararat and Central Goldfields council areas.
The CFA said Sunday was a busy day across the state with small fires.
At this stage, the Fire Danger Period should end locally on May 1.
Several local councils are offering free green waste disposed over the month of November including Moorabool and Hepburn - while Golden Plains launched its annual Fire Hazard Inspection Program last week.
Properties deemed to be high risk will be issued with a Fire Prevention Notice.
Golden Plains is asking locals to keep grass lower than 10cm during the Fire Danger Period.
This summer is predicted to see extreme heat and dry conditions and increased fire danger.
It has also been 40 years since a deadly fire burned for 55 days in the Wombat and Lerderderg forests - killing two Daylesford Forestry Commission (now DEECA) firefighters at Greendale.
The Bureau of Meteorology has declared two major climate drivers - El Nino and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole.
To find out what you can and can't do during the Fire Danger Period, and on days of Total Fire Bans, visit the CFA's website.
Gabrielle Hodson
'All-rounder' journalist since 1993. I've worked in print, radio, TV & online as well as radio & TV producing and radio presenting. Working on Wadawurrung land. There are 7.9 billion stories out there. I'd love to hear yours...
'All-rounder' journalist since 1993. I've worked in print, radio, TV & online as well as radio & TV producing and radio presenting. Working on Wadawurrung land. There are 7.9 billion stories out there. I'd love to hear yours...
