Deputy Group Officer of Ararat Fire Brigades Group, David Coad, spent the morning of April 25 paying tribute to the Anzacs from the front verandah of his home.

"For me personally, it was one of the more moving Anzac Days," he said.

Living out of town, he is out of view of other homes so was not witness to other residents gathering on their driveways with candles in hand.

But he could watch the sun rise and hear the birds start to sing as he reflected on the many Australian and New Zealanders who sacrificed their lives for their countries.

Just hours later, he, as Lieutenant of Moyston Fire Brigade, and dozens of others were called to an out of control burn-off about 2.30pm.

Read more: Anzac Day 2020 in the Wimmera - How we helped #LightUpTheDawn

It is understood a landowner was burning piles of rubbish that had washed down to his property during a flood last year, when the fire got into the grass.

The fire had burned about three hectares when it reached Ararat-Halls Gap Rd and firefighters arrived on scene.

Country Fire Authority crews were quick to respond, with two trucks from Moyston brigade at the scene within five minutes and back-up support later arriving from Ararat.

The road boasts the town's Avenue of Honour, planted in 1919, to commemorate World War I and to mark Anzac Day, local residents had pinned Australian flags by each marker post along the Avenue.

As the fire began to creep closer to the western end of the Avenue, firefighters sprung to action.

The Avenue consists of old pine trees, and the pine needle carpet around them had begun to smoulder, with the fire within metres of the trees themselves.

Some firefighters strategically positioned themselves between the trees to fight the fire.

Lieutenant Coad said it was the firefighters' quick response that saved the avenue, but also the town itself.

When firefighters first arrived, the fire was approaching the town.

He said had they been even just a few minutes slower, a number of the Avenue's trees would have been affected. As it was, the base of only one tree was burnt.

"It was a really good effort, and also pays tribute to the amount of training that our members do so that when they arrive on scene they know exactly what to do and how to be most effective with controlling a fire and identifying the imminent risks," he said.

"Our first priority was to save the town, because the fire was also possibly going to impact upon the township itself.

"But keeping it out of the trees also had multiple benefits. One, it saved an historic site and two, if it had burnt the trees it probably would have spotted across the main road and we would have had fire on both sides, where it would have possibly threatened the primary school."

Given that it was Anzac Day along with the extra precautions firefighters need to take with COVID-19, Lieutenant Coad said it was an "absolutely brilliant response" from the firefighters to have two trucks on scene in such a short amount of time.

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Moyston Brigade has almost 80 members, who participate on various levels.

Some members are in their 70s, 80s and even 90s, but are still determined to assist their community.

"One of the really good things about being in a small community is just the way that people pitch in and help where they can and how they can," Lieutenant Coad said.

Burn-offs can be done on private properties if they abide by certain rules, including registering the burn with authorities, checking weather conditions and informing neighbours of smoke.

When burning off, remain at the scene throughout the burn and have sufficient equipment and water at hand to contain it if it starts to spread.

Burn-offs can be registered with the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority on 1800 668 511 or by emailing burnoffs@esta.vic.gov.au

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