A STRIKE team of district 20 firefighters that was hurriedly assembled for a deployment to Tallangatta in East Gippsland on Friday played a major role in controlling a fire without ever reaching the area.

The 23-member team - made up of volunteers from Pyramid Hill, Cohuna, Kerang, Rheola, Fentons Creek, Rochester, Heala and Echuca Village, as well as the Murrabit tanker - was diverted when it re...