The mayor, and the majority of councillors, of a Victorian shire hard hit by bushfires are on a tour in Japan.

Six of nine councillors from the Macedon Ranges Shire Council travelled to Tokai City on October 3, before controlled burn escaped containment lines.

The trip has angered some residents, who said it showed they "obviously don't care".

The council's chief executive Peter Johnston has also taken annual leave.

However, council representatives have been present at community meetings alongside the CFA and police.

The council's acting chief executive Dale Thornton confirmed the shire's mayor Jennifer Anderson and five other councillors were in Japan for a four-day delegation to sister-city Tokai.

Mr Thornton said the council had emergency management and recovery teams that were "well trained and resourced" to respond and support the community.

He said he had been in regular contact with the councillors, providing phone and email updates.

Mr Thornton said Mr Johnston was on four weeks annual leave that he usually takes before the fire season every year. Mr Thornton said everyone was receiving regular updates.

Bushfires have burned unusually early in Victoria this year after controlled burns by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning broke containment lines in hot and windy conditions.

So far the fires have destroyed five homes, 19 sheds, two vehicles and farm equipment.

Lancefield resident Cathy Cleve didn't think it was appropriate that the councillors were on a "junket" while the fire burned.

While she had strong words for the planned burn by the environment department, she also was unhappy about the lack of strong council representation at a community meeting.

"It's pretty crap," she said. "They just obviously don't care. Surely they don't all have to go or they could cancel the trip.

"Where's the support? There isn't any."

Holiday homeowner Jason Daws was a bit more circumspect about the councillors being overseas during the fire.

"I think if it was a Black Saturday or something like that then I would like to think that people would come back," he said.

"But if that was my permanent residence then maybe I would be a little bit more distraught."

By Friday afternoon firefighters reported that they were getting the upper hand on major blazes. The Lancefield fire has burnt closed to 3000 hectares and threatened communities in Benloch, Nulla Vale, Pastoria, Baynton and Lancefield.

Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley said the Lancefield fire was yet to be contained but good progress had been made.

"This has been a trying time, particularly for the communities who have been threatened by these fires and in some cases lost possessions or property," he said.

Federal MP for McEwen Rob Mitchell has attended community meetings in Lancefield and Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas has also been in the area.