CFA district five commander Andrew Barry said emergency services were called to Krumnow Lane about 8.30pm on Monday.

"The fire burnt an area of 30 metres long by about 10 metres wide," he said.

"Fortunately the fire was found by some spotlighters who were out shooting. They reported the fire but also helped to put it out.

"A member from the Gazette fire brigades as well as some people from private units attended the scene and were able to get on top of the fire very quickly. The wind was blowing the fire back against the road, which was lucky.

"It could have been a lot worse."

Mr Barry said fire investigators and members of the Hamilton police crime investigation unit attended the fire scene the next morning.

"It turns out someone had been dumping their lawn clippings and other bits of garden waste in an area near a back road of Penshurst." he said.

"There were different piles of the waste at varying stages of decomposition. On Monday one of them has spontaneously combusted under perfect conditions and started the fire."

Mr Barry said the incident was a timely reminder to dispose of garden waste accordingly.

"The person might have thought they were doing the right thing by spreading it out on the road and were not aware that these things could happen, but clearly they can, so waste should be disposed of appropriately," he said.

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