A FIRE believed to have started from embers from a burn-off on Monday caused thousands of dollars of damage to a dairy on Erreys Road at Cobrico near Cobden.
Country Fire Authority region six operations officer Michael Crutchfield said the fire was reported about 11.45am in large round hay bales that abutted the dairy.
Mr Crutchfield said the blaze burnt about 80 of the hay bales and also damaged refrigeration and electrical equipment and hot water tanks at the adjoining dairy.
He said embers from a burn-off on the property appeared to have been carried by strong northerly winds to ignite the hay bales.
Five CFA units from Cobrico, Cobden, Camperdown and Bostocks Creek fought the fire for more than an hour to bring it under control.
Mr Crutchfield said an excavator on the property was also used to shift the hay bales.