While it is thought the fire was the work of an elusive arsonist who has now struck 11 times in the Koroit district, police were again tight-lipped about linking yesterday’s blaze to the area’s previous outbreaks.

Desperate to make an arrest before anyone is hurt or there is any serious property damage, police have again appealed for public help to catch the culprit.

Two Winslow tankers and a unit from Woodford rushed to the blaze.

Detective Sergeant Lee Porter said police wanted to speak to anyone who had been driving along the Mailors Flat-Koroit Road near Southern Cross at 3.50pm yesterday.

“We want to talk to anyone travelling that road about that time regardless of how insignificant they feel any information they may have will be,” he said.

The small grass fire on the Mailors Flat-Koroit Road property about 3.50pm yesterday was quickly brought under control.

The fire burnt grass over about a quarter of an acre, from the roadside to just metres from a row of cypress trees.

A farming shed about 100 metres from the area was the closest building to the fire, but the mild conditions and fast CFA response kept property damage to a minimum.

Police have sought help from the public in their bid to catch the firebug, who is believed to be responsible for up to 11 deliberate fires in the Koroit district in just over four weeks.

Four detectives from the Warrnambool criminal investigation unit and two uniformed officers attended the scene to direct traffic and interview witnesses.

The CIU will continue to investigate the fire, as well as a similar outbreak at Illowa on Sunday night, which appeared to start on the side of the road.

Yesterday’s fire was about 4.5 kilometres from the Illowa outbreak, about five kilometres from the Yarpturk School Road fire on January 30, and six kilometres from the January 22 fire on Thwaites Road.

Seven other blazes in the Koroit and Grassmere districts are also under investigation after police deemed them to be suspicious.

Yesterday’s incident co-incided with the third anniversary of the Black Saturday bushfires.

Anyone with information about the fires is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.