The 35-year-old was believed to have been using a chainsaw to cut firewood when a fire ignited and went on to burn 600 hectares of Meereek State Forest, which is 18 kilometres south of Edenhope, near the South Australian border.

The bushfire was contained about 2am yesterday but is not expected to be extinguished for several days.

The man handed himself in to fire officers on Wednesday night and was taken to Edenhope where he was arrested and interviewed by detectives from the Horsham Crime Investigation Unit.

He was released yesterday and is expected to be charged on summons with recklessly causing a bushfire and engaging in high-risk activities during a period of fire danger.

Department of Sustainability incident controller Russell Manning said the department was working with police on possible further charges against the man.

People are not permitted to collect firewood from designated forest areas until March.

At the height of the bushfire, more than 100 firefighters from the department, Parks Victoria and CFA District 17 battled the blaze. Fire-bombing aircraft and bulldozers were used in the operation.

"People have an obligation to themselves and the community to come forward if they see anything, no matter how small the detail, because it could make all the difference," Inspector Brooke Hall said.

Police have warned potential arsonists they are patrolling bushfire-prone areas. People who witness suspicious or reckless behaviour are urged to call triple zero.