Fire season hit Australia early, and as emergency crews battle blazes up and down the country's east coast, support from above is more important than ever.
The aircraft fleet employed by the state and territory's fire and rescue have been crisscrossing skies above fire-ravaged grounds for the past week.
Often captured in images shared across social media and news outlets, waterbombing helicopters and planes are an impressive line of defence against increasingly difficult fires to fight.
"As part of the overall fighting arsenal, they're an essential piece of equipment today," Ken Thompson, a former deputy commissioner in the NSW Fire and Rescue Service, told 10 daily.
Read more on this story at Channel 10 Australia
