A bushfire which tore through than 100 hectares of land and destroyed a house at Edgecombe on Tuesday is being treated as suspicious.
Police have urged anyone with information about how the blaze began in grassland north of Kyneton to come forward.
Detectives from the Macedon Ranges criminal investigation unit are looking into the circumstances of the fire, which started on Edgecombe Road, near Foxes Lane, about 2.15pm.
A police spokesman said there was nothing to suggest the incident could be linked to a series of deliberately lit blazes near Malmsbury and Metcalfe since last November.
More than 30 firefighting vehicles and six aircraft were involved in efforts to contain the fire, which took place on a total fire ban day and sparked an emergency warning for surrounding communities and a watch and act alert for nearby towns.
HELICOPTER PILOTS ARE BRIEFED AT KYNETON AIRFIELD WHICH AGAIN WAS USED AS A BASE FOR FIREFIGHTING AIRCRAFT. PICTURE: NORM EDMUNDS/KYNETON AIRFIELD
The fire was brought under control about 5.30pm before an expected wind change and more favourable weather conditions. Crews continued to ‘‘black out’’ the fire overnight.
A house on Black Hill School Road was destroyed by the fire, along with an outbuilding and kilometres of fencing.
The house is believed to be attached to Langleyvale Vineyard.
A FIREFIGHTER EXTINGUISHES REMAINING EMBERS. PICTURE: CARLSRUHE CFA
Kyneton resident Richard Beinac, who built the vineyard and house in 1998 before selling it to new owners in the mid-2000s, said he was saddened by the damage.
‘‘The house itself is a beautiful two-bedroom place with timber floors and the vineyard had some great pinots and merlots.
‘‘It’s sad it’s gone now.’’
Mr Beinac remains good friends with the owners of nearby Kyneton Ridge Estate, which sustained significant damage during a bushfire at neighbouring Black Hill Reserve in January 2015.
FIRE CREWS FOUGHT THROUGH THE NIGHT. PICTURE: NATALIE WIGGETT/NEWHAM CFA
‘‘It’s uncanny for this to happen almost a year to the day of that fire,’’ Mr Beinac said.
Macedon Ranges council emergency resource officer Dale Thornton said assistance was available for residents affected by the latest blaze.
‘‘Anyone who has been affected by the fires and needs support should contact council and our recovery team can help,’’ he said.
Council officers are also working with wildlife rescuers to assess injured wildlife.
