The Dunedin Volunteer Fire Brigade was established in 1861, later becoming New Zealand's first city fire brigade.
Fire Service assistant area manager, East Otago, Trevor Tilyard said anniversary organisers were keen to show "the contribution that the fire brigade has made to the city over the years".
Dunedin's fire brigades had had "a very interesting history" and had also been connected to "a lot of very significant events that have gone on in the life of the city", Mr Tilyard said.
As well as the usual firefighting, the city firefighters had also been involved in several major Civil Defence emergencies, including the Abbotsford slip and flooding on the Taieri, he said.
Two major commercial fires in the 19th century illustrated the severe risk which fire posed to life and property.
A huge fire which broke out near the Octagon on April 1, 1867 moved swiftly south, destroying dozens of small buildings on both sides of Princes St before being contained at the Moray Pl intersection.
And 12 people died on September 8, 1879, when fire swept through the Ross Building, on the site of the Regent Theatre, in the Octagon.
But firefighters were also closely linked to the community on social occasions.
Before, during and after World War 2, many members of the public had attended film screenings as well as dances in a social hall at the city's Central Fire Station.
In those days, firefighters could hardly go elsewhere for their entertainment because they worked six days a week and had to be available 24 hours a day.
Anniversary organisers were keen to hear from people with memories of the various Dunedin fire brigades and with any "ephemera", including photographs, involving dances at the central station.
"There must be a lot of photographs and memories, " he said.
People with items of interest were welcome to visit reception at the station, he said.
Up to 400 people, including former firefighters from throughout the country, are expected to attend part of the six day-long anniversary activities, to be held in March 2011.
A book on the history of the Dunedin brigades, co-written by organising committee secretary John Ingram and veteran firefighter Paul Clements, will be published to mark the occasion.
The Dunedin Volunteer Fire Brigade was renamed the Dunedin City Fire Brigade in 1883, when the Dunedin City Council took full control.
From 1907, the again renamed Dunedin Fire Brigade and, subsequently, the Dunedin Metropolitan Fire Brigade, established in 1935, were run by Dunedin fire boards, including community representatives.
The Dunedin brigade later became part of the New Zealand Fire Service in 1976.
