This was the moment a helicopter had to manoeuvre in between trees in New South Wales' Tarbuck Bay after bushfires threatened to damage local residents' property.

Footage from January 1 shows a Rural Firefighting Service helicopter drops a bucket of water on a burning area of the woods.

The filmer said: "A fire that started at Tarbuck Bay on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, Australia threatened our property.

"This video was taken of NSW Rural Firefighting Service waterbombing helicopters dropping water from nearby Smiths Lake as part of a backburning operation to protect our property.

"The fire has since been classed as Under Control."

A fire that started at Tarbuck Bay on the mid north coast of New South Wales, Australia threatened our property. This video was taken of NSW Rural Firefighting Service waterbombing helicopters dropping water from nearby Smiths Lake as part of a backburning operation to protect our property. The fire has since been classed as Under Control.