Police believe a passing train started the fire about 3.15pm. About 13 CFS appliances, a number of farm units, two fixed wing bombers from Port Lincoln and two from Adelaide battled the fire until it was contained at about 5.30pm.

The Tod Highway was closed for a number of hours because of the potential threat trees would fall on the road.

About 100 volunteers helped fight the blaze and it was controlled at about 7.30pm Tuesday night.

Fire crews also patrolled the ground overnight.

The CFS used the digital thermal imaging camera yesterday to identify hot spots, which are now being watched.

Region 6 CFS regional commander Kevin May said there were quite a number of hot spots as after the Wangary 2005 fire burnt vegetation was piled up in the clean up, so now workers in a bulldozer and excavator were spreading them out.

Lower Eyre CFS group officer Barry Hetherington said not only was it the good cooperation of the air bombers and volunteers that kept the fire from spreading into the Wanilla forest but the fire breaks that have previously been made in the Wanilla area also prevented the fire from spreading.

Earth firebreaks were also made to keep the fire contained and hot spots were still burning at the time of print.