A WOMAN has been charged with deliberately starting a bushfire in Melbourne's south east.
The 18-year-old was arrested at the scene of the fire, which was burning on an embankment near Warrigal Road at Ashwood about 9.45pm (AEDT) yesterday.
Emergency crews quickly extinguished the blaze.
The woman has been charged with intentionally causing a bushfire and recklessly endangering life and was bailed to appear in Dandenong Magistrates Court on April 29.
Police are also treating as suspicious a small scrub fire at Sebastopol, near Ballarat.
Meanwhile, fire crews battled to contain several bushfires around the state.
A CFA spokesman says a major fire at Kentbruck, in the state's south west, was likely to be brought under control on Sunday.
The fire, which began in a pine plantation, has burned over 2700 hectares and is sending a smoke haze visible throughout western Victoria.
The spokesman says a fire burning near Ensay, in east Gippsland, was brought under control on Saturday afternoon.
