Fire crews have successfully water bombed a blaze overnight in Victoria's Gippsland region.
The blaze south of Rosedale has been burning since Friday and was fuelled on Monday by winds and pushed east towards the town of Willung.
For the first time on Monday night, overnight water bombing helicopters were used to contain the fire.
"It's been really effective. It's been really appreciated by firefighters and it's really making a great difference, particularly to our overnight containment efforts," Forest Fire Management deputy chief officer Darrin McKenzie told the ABC.
The bushfire is generating significant smoke, which the environment watchdog warns could affect people, particularly those already suffering respiratory problems, the very old and very young.
The Environment Protection Authority will set up monitors in Sale and Longford to provide up-to-date information on how smoke is affecting air quality.
It expects the units will be in place shortly, with the information available via its website.
As of Tuesday morning, the fire was at an advice alert level.
However, the threat from the fire has de-escalated and increased several times since igniting on a day of extreme heat across Victoria.
On Monday afternoon, authorities had issued an emergency warning to residents in the small community.
The bushfire, about six kilometres south of Rosedale, has burnt more than 12,000 hectares including pine plantations and fences.
Arson experts visited the site on Saturday and are yet to determine if it was deliberately lit or caused by lightning strikes.
Australian Associated Press