Two helicopters have arrived in Bendigo in preparation for the fire season and will be used by Forest Fire Management Victoria and the CFA.

They will be airborne within eight minutes and respond to incidents within 80 kilometres of the city.

On the way one will stop to get water, slurping up as much as 3000 litres in 35 seconds.

“We can be on the fire ground very quickly,” Mr Tremain-Hill said.

There are always obstacles pilots need to negotiate as they arrive to battle blazes. Think power lines and birds.

Water drops take place quite low to the ground and pilots must negotiate smoke and rapidly changing wind conditions.

Related: Fire conditions equal to some of Victoria’s worst seasons, emergency groups warned

“It (a fire) can be trickling along quite gently and then we get a gust of wind and it can be right out of control in a matter of minutes,” Mr Tremain-Hill said.

One helicopter carries a water tank, another carries a supervisor coordinating aerial operations.

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