QUICK thinking neighbours helped rescue a Mount Helen couple from the roof of their burning home on Monday morning.

Next door neighbour and CFA volunteer John McLeod had returned from town to see smoke billowing from the two-storey Wirreanda Drive property about 8.10am.

Mr McLeod rushed to the property and saw the two occupants, a man and a woman aged in their 60s, sitting on the roof.

He said the pair had escaped from an upstairs room via a window.

Mr McLeod said the woman was unconscious, but still breathing when he arrived. 

"I tried to get up the ladder but the ladder was close to the toxic smoke, so I had to get down," he said. 

"I got (the man) to drag her to the opening... I ran and got a harness." 

Mr McLeod strapped the woman in a harness in preparation for the CFA to lower her to the ground. 

His son Lachie McLeod also ran to get another ladder to help with the rescue.  

Ambulance Victoria transported the pair to Ballarat Base Hospital for smoke inhalation.

The man also suffered cuts and was taken to hospital in a stable condition.

The woman was also transported in a stable condition. 

Between eight and ten CFA crews were called to the scene about 8.30am.

The house was fully alight when crews arrived.

Ballarat City fire brigade operations manager Anthony Pearce said the cause of the fire was unknown.

"We have specialist appliances from Ballarat City to come out and give us access to the roof, where the majority of the fire is currently still burning," he said. 

"My understanding is there is a very high fuel load inside the house and that has made it difficult to get access... so it's basically been an external fire fight." 

The CFA will investigate the cause once the fire is extinguished. 

EARLIER:

TWO people were rescued from the roof of their burning house in Mount Helen on Monday morning.

Quick thinking neighbours helped hoist an unconscious woman in her 60's from the roof about 8.10am.

About eight fire crews helped battle the blaze, which was gushing toxic smoke.

Ambulance Victoria transported the couple to Ballarat Base Hospital for smoke inhalation.