by Emma Ballingall

Suspicious fires ignited during the weekend heatwave in Drouin and Willow Grove have continued a recent "spike" that concerns local police.

A lane of the Princes Fwy was closed after a grassfire at Drouin late on Saturday afternoon. And, yesterday, the CFA extinguished fires in Spillway Rd at Willow Grove.

A third fire, which destroyed a hectare of bushland at Narracan on Sunday afternoon, is being investigated. However, police said it corresponded with lightning strikes in the area.

Three youths have been identified in relation to a fourth fire in a garden roundabout in Warragul on Friday morning.

Baw Baw police services area inspector Peter Fusinato said they had noted "a real spike in fire incidents."

He said youths were believed to be responsible for small fires causing petty damage within towns but, more recently, fires were being ignited in rural areas.

Insp Fusinato's message to the community was, "ring 000 immediately."

"If they see any suspicious activity, we need it reported straight away.

"We don't want bushfires. It doesn't tak