Forest Fire Management Victoria has trained 100 firefighters for deployment in central Victoria.
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The new recruits have been trained in fire behaviour, fire suppression, planned burning, safety and survival techniques.
They will be based in depots including Bendigo, Echuca, Castlemaine, Heathcote, Inglewood, Maryborough and Macedon as well as other locations.
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"These recruits will not only respond to bushfires and other emergencies, they'll also be conducting planned burns, slashing, track clearing and other land management activities," FFM Victoria Loddon Mallee Regional Training Coordinator Travis Storer said.
"Forest firefighters rely extensively on dry firefighting techniques as water is often scarce in the middle of the bush.
"Our recruits are being trained in how to use a rakehoe to construct a mineral earth control line as well as other skills such as four-wheel driving and use of chainsaws, which are essential for forest firefighting.
"Many of our PFFs have worked with us during previous fire seasons so have gone straight to work on fuel reduction activities such as planned burning, slashing and track clearing."
All FFM Victoria crews also adhere to appropriate public health and hygiene guidelines to ensure operations and training can safely continue.