UPDATE, Friday, 8am: Investigators have found the cause a haystack fire near the Henry Highway, south of Hamilton, is not suspicious.
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Detective Sergeant Mark James, of the Hamilton police crime investigation unit, said Country Fire Authority and police fire investigators attended the scene on Thursday.
He said they conducted an investigation into the cause of a fire which damage property and obstructed traffic on the Henty Highway near Hamilton for much of the day.
Emergency services were alerted about the fire at 2.20am Thursday.
“The fire has been determined not to be suspicious,” he said.
“CFA investigator Wayne Nagorcka will be compiling a report as to cause and origin.
“Police and CFA would like to thank those who assisted in raising the alarm and thank the public for their patience with the reduced speed limits and road blockages during the incident.”
Detective Sergeant James said one shed and a number of bales of hay were destroyed as well as some trees on the property.
Nobody was injured.
VicRoads implemented a 40km/h speed restriction zone for about 12 hours on Thursday.
CFA staff and volunteers were continually crossing the highway from their staging area on the other side of the highway and smoke was also drifting across the road.
Thursday: A FIRE in a haystack near the Henty Highway, just south of Hamilton, has destroyed 100 round bales valued about $5000.
Hamilton police Mark Phillips said the cause of the fire was unknown and Hamilton detectives were in the process of attending the scene to determine a cause. "Emergency services were alerted just after 2.20am this morning. Hamilton district Country Fire Authority units attended and pulled apart the bales," he said.
"It was very fortunate it was a still night but it's going to be hot again today. An old barn was also destroyed and there was an excavator working to knock down nearby trees."
In a separate incident, police and the CFA were called to a small grass fire at the vacant Colac High School at 3.30pm. Police said it was believed the fire was caused by a fire cracker.
Anyone with information should contact the Hamilton police station, Colac police station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.