FOREST Fire Management has begun its annual fire season training.
Residents across central and western Victoria may have seen a number of enormous fire fighting vehicles rolling through their towns.
The vehicles are called Unimog and is a state-of-the-art fire-fighting vehicle fitted-out with equipment specifically designed for planned burn and firefighting needs.
They have the capacity to carry 4000 litres of water, and room for four firefighters.
They also have exceptional off-road capabilities and a range of safety features.
Thirteen of them are involved in a five day training course that is taking participants through Ararat, Ballarat, Mount Cole, Ben Major and Creswick State Forest.
They passed through Ararat on Wednesday evening and stopped along High Street in the evening.
"Ahead of the upcoming fire season, a five day Unimog operator training course is currently taking place," Workforce development unit senior technical trainer Dave Bowdern said.
"This training is based out of Creswick School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, and has taken participants to Ararat, Ballarat, Mt Cole, Ben Major and Creswick State Forest.
"There are 13 Unimog taking part in the training which each have the capacity to take three participants and a lead trainer."
Forest Fire Management has already started planned burns ahead of the fire season in accordance with previous years.
However, there are no planned burns for the Grampians Wimmera region over the next 10 days.
Unimog operator training takes place across the state.
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