Tradie might have sparked Carwoola fire

A devastating fire in the state's south, which destroyed 11 homes, may have been started by a tradesman using a spinning steel cutter.

Police are investigating claims by the owner of a property where building work was carried out on Friday.

The fire ripped through 3100 hectares of semi-rural land about 10 kilometres east of Queanbeyan as fierce westerly winds fanned flames.

The owner used social media to claim the fire started on his property.

"I was working in Kingston on Friday when I received a call from a tradesman working on my block," he said in a post obtained by the Canberra Times on Monday.

"He was in a panic and told me my paddock was on fire."

"When I arrived on site 25 minutes later I couldn't believe my eyes of how large the fire already was."