Otago Daily Times photographer Gerard O'Brien took to the air above the fire-ravaged Taieri Plain and watched helicopters filling their monsoon buckets, then "flying in convoys'' into the billowing smoke.
Watching from an observation helicopter, he marvelled at how the aerial fire fighters "just disappeared'' into the haze to drop water on the fire which has destroyed 400ha of forest, and threatens high tension power lines.
"They'd have to be pretty aware of what they are doing,'' Mr O'Brien said of the pilots.
It was hard to see any flames because the smoke, which rose about 1500m from the ground, obliterated the view. However, the sheer volume of smoke was impressive.
"The area itself is big, with most of it down low, spreading over the Taieri Plain.''
From Mr O'Brien's vantage point it appeared most of the area that has been burnt had already been logged.
