FIRE crews battled a serious grassfire threatening homes and property into the night yesterday after a deliberately lit fire whipped out of control in farming land west of Mareeba.

Rural and urban firefighters fought alongside property owners to contain the fire, which at its height in the late-afternoon came dangerously close to five homes, farming infrastructure and fruit tress.

Queensland Fire and Rescue Service Mareeba area director inspector Denis McKinley said yesterday the fire started at 2.30pm on Hawkings Rd but went unreported for more than half an hour.

He said if authorities had been notified immediately the fire could have been quickly contained.

There now remains a real risk it could spread on to the Hann Tableland where in could burn for days and cause serious problems.

"If we had got the fire straight away we could have contained it on the eastern side of Fassio Rd," he said.

"The hot and dry conditions meant that because of the delay it was able to take hold of a large area of land and threaten properties on Fassio Rd.

"If people see smoke and it is out of character they must report it because we need to know straight away."

By late last night fire crews had the fire contained but there was still a threat it could advance on to the Hann Tableland.

Mr McKinley said crews would monitor the fire through the night and start mopping up and teams would return today after putting in containment lines and backburning last night.

"If it breaks the control lines, we could have days of work ahead," he said.

"There has been a lot of people involved, who have all had to stop work, through someone’s complete disregard for the law."

The fire, which was still burning late last night, has burnt out up to 200 hectares of farming and bushland.

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