Tamworth RFS volunteers back from fighting Kyogle blaze

The 11 firefighters were sent to backburn a blaze that had chomped through about 250 hectares of bushland around Kyogle, at the end of October.

"We put in a tactical backburn and that saved about three properties," Mr Ross, who has been an RFS volunteer for three years, said.

"There was a point when we thought the fire had jumped the containment lines but it didn't, it was just a lot of smoke flying over."

Mr Ross was called into action about five days before the team drove from Tamworth in six firetrucks to the smouldering blaze near Horseshoe Creek on Tuesday, October 17.

They slept in a Lismore motel, and fought the strength of the fire for three days, from Wednesday, October 18 to Friday, October 19, before driving back to Tamworth on Saturday.

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Mr Dwyer said moments of rain helped douse the flames but also made the trudge through the muddied 'designated routes' to reach the burn far more difficult.

"It made it hard for us to get in and mop up what was left," Mr Dwyer said.

In the days leading up to the Kyogle deployment, Mr Dwyer said he had to mentally prepare himself, "because when the adrenaline hits" he has to stay "nice and mellow".

Mr Dwyer and his fellow volunteer Mr Ross both joined the RFS out of a "sense of community", and to "give back".

Tamworth RFS district coordinator inspector Stephen Carstens said there were a lot of fires in the region near Kygole at the time, and that our local RFS volunteers "really assisted the local brigades".

"So, it was very much appreciated the fact those guys gave their time to go over there," Inspector Carstens said.

As of Monday, November 6, there were 55 fires burning across NSW, with the biggest at Willi Willi Road near Kempsey being 'under control' but having already scorched through 29,086 hectares.

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