A very large air tanker was deployed to combat the intense bushfire that destroyed up to 70 homes along the south coast town of Tathra on March 18.

Residents were evacuated from the town on Sunday afternoon, including the Bega Valley Shire deputy mayor, ABC reported.

This aerial footage, taken by NSW Rural Fire Service, shows a Victorian VLAT dropping fire retardant over the blaze on Sunday.

The blaze razed 1070 hectares and crews remained on the ground on Monday. A watch-and-act warning was put in place for the area on Monday morning, as firefighters said the fire was “controlled.”

The Rural Fire Service tweeted on Monday, March 19, that easing conditions overnight had slowed the spread of the bushfire. Credit: NSW Rural Fire Service via Storyful