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FIREFIGHTERS at Mt Macedon have captured amazing scenes of a fire battle.
Footage from the February 9 blaze shows firefighters as they travel to the fire front at Gisborne.
Filmed on a Go Pro, it shows five firefighters inside a CFA truck, attempting to extinguish the blaze with water cannons and support from water bombing aircraft.
In one scene, the volunteers are forced to reverse down a driveway as fire engulfs trees in front of them.
The fire destroyed 2500 hectares and five homes at Riddells Creek and Gisborne South in what the CFA said was the biggest fire in the area in 30 years.
Mt Macedon CFA captain Jim Darby said the video showed the brigade in “fairly dramatic” scenes which were not often seen by the public.
“I think it just really shows what a crew might go through in being the first attack on a fire like that,” he said.
“We had a couple of hours of footage and that’s a highlights package.
“The crew were prepared to have a crack and try to get to the head of the fire to take it on.
“You can see at one stage they’re reversing out of a situation that potentially could have been a problem.
“It shows they held high regard for their safety and as a captain I’m very pleased about that.”
Mr Darby said the video would be used for training and gave new recruits an insight into battling fires.
“You can share that experience,” he said.
“It’s not something you can fully appreciate until you’re involved in it.
“We do as much training as we can, but until you’re involved in that situation you can’t get a feel for what it’s about.
“You can’t replicate that in training.”
The YouTube video has already attracted about 4000 views since being uploaded on Sunday.
Firefighter Scott Andrews, who filmed the blaze, said crews regularly dealt with active fires, but the scenes were rarely recorded.
“It’s stuff you see on the fire ground all the time, but people that don’t get on the truck and normal people don’t get to see it.
“It’s pretty amazing footage for people to see.”
Heading into the fire zone, the five firefighters knew the blaze was going to be large.
“The adrenaline was certainly going,” Mr Darby said.
“It wasn’t scary or anything like that, it’s more just about doing the job of putting it out.
“We didn’t want the fire heading up the mountain.
“We were just trying to get in there and do what we could.
“The footage definitely shows how intense fires can get.
“It was good for a lot of the newer guys in our brigade to see the footage because a lot of them haven’t been to a big fire before.”
Crew leader Glenn Wilson said firefighters had spent at least six hours trying to bring the fire under control.
“I think it would be good for the public to actually see what happened just to understand it and hopefully get a few more to volunteer,” he said.
“If it was deliberately lit, lets hope they catch them.
“No lives were lost, thank god.”
Firefighters from several brigades fought the fire which threatened the Riddells Creek and Gisborne townships.
Riddells Creek Fire Brigade captain Dave Thompson said the incident showed the value of bushfire plans.
“It was a stark reminder that we all need to have a bushfire plan if we live in a rural area,” he said.
“Not only in the bush area, but in the grasslands as well.
“This fire spread with such speed that waiting until the fire started was really too late.”
The CFA held a session at the Riddells Creek Primary School on Wednesday after enquiries from several residents about fire preparation.