The picture has received plenty of reader reaction since being published on page 1 of Thursday's Bendigo Advertiser, with some people wanting to purchase the image.

Mr Stancombe, left, was helping refill tankers from a dam when he snapped the picture across the water.

The Maldon brigade veteran of 25 years said he arrived on scene with a ute and quick fill after a lightning strike ignited the fire near the Sutton Grange-Harcourt Road about 7pm.

The fire burnt 10 hectares of grassland before 18 fire crews and a helicopter water bomber gained control about 8pm.

A CFA watch and act warning for residents in Barker Road was downgraded to an advice message at 8.05pm.

Mr Stancombe’s dramatic picture captured the battle from land and air in the face of the fierce grass fire.

He took the picture as the fire started to build and was surprised at how well it turned out.

‘’I was pretty close to it, where the dam was,’’ he said.

Mr Stancombe said the CFA and Department of Environment and Primary Industries do a pretty good job in fighting fires.

He said with more grass around the region fire crews had been kept busy this year.