Thor returns to hammer fires from above

The hammer-wielding god of the sky has returned as the NSW Rural Fire Service prepares for the bushfire season.

Thor, a Hercules C130, which can drop more than 15,000 litres of water has spent the northern hemisphere summer in the US.

It gave a fly-over demonstration at Richmond RAAF Base of its firefighting ability on Thursday.

Thor will complement more than 100 aircraft already contracted to the RFS for the months ahead.

NSW RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers urged residents to be vigilant and to start preparing their homes as the hot weather arrives.

He said the state had experienced its third wettest winter on record, which could lead to an increased fire risk this summer.