THE first first firefighters to return to Bendigo from Mallacoota are expected to land soon at the Bendigo Airport.

It comes a day after the CFA established direct flights to the town from Bendigo since the crisis began.

Those landing at the Bendigo Airport this morning are finishing a five-day shift in east Gippsland.

Saturday, 3.19pm

TWO planes carrying fresh firefighters have left Bendigo Airport in what is believed to be the first trip of its type to Mallacoota since the bushfire crisis began.

It will dramatically cut down firefighters' travel time and allow them to hit the ground running, instead of needing a rest after long drives.

They have been able to take advantage of favourable weather conditions, clear skies and an eased fire danger to arrive on flights directly for the first time since Malacoota's emergency began, Eppalock group officer Dave Cleator said.

"This is all providing the smoke stays clear," he said.

The large "strike team" of firefighters from crews across the region including Axe Creek, Mosquito Creek and Newstead will likely have a wide range of roles during their five day trip.

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No fires are endangering lives near Mallacoota but a heatmap produced by planes during flights on Friday night found "hundreds upon hundreds" of hotspots across fire grounds, Mr Cleator said.

Unless conditions change in the next few days, departing crews expect to be ferrying water to those monitoring dangerous parts of the fireground and escorting other vehicles through other parts of the fire ground, they were told at a pre-flight briefing.

They can also expect to be a highly visible support to a community "traumatised" by the fires, the strike team was told.

They replace another team from central Victoria that spent the week based in town.