The Defence Force has admitted it’s likely one of its choppers started a fire burning south of Canberra.

Residents living in the Tharwa, south of Canberra, were told to take shelter last night as the Orroral Valley fire burned towards them.

Listener Scotty sent through the above photo to Ray Hadley, showing the glowing fire in the mountains beyond the nation’s capital.

The Defence Force says the fire was likely sparked by the landing lights of one of its helicopters, which created enough heat to set the grass on fire.

There is currently no threat to Canberra suburbs, but ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr described it as “the most serious situation” that has been faced in the ACT since the 2003 bushfires which killed four people.