Hedgehope Rural Fire Brigade members Brodie Butcher and Thomas Brock spent two weeks based at Tallangatta, in northeastern Victoria, this month.
At the start of the year, fires raged through the area after hot winds and dry lightning sparked blazes that led to emergency warnings, destroyed homes and scarred the landscape.
Mr Butcher and Mr Brock said they were part of a remote area fire team that helped make sure the fire did not start up again.
Kitted out in their firefighting gear during some of the region’s hottest temperatures for several years, the Southlanders had to dig a fire break between 30cm and 50cm wide using hand tools.
"It wasn’t a walk in the park," Mr Butcher said.
The two men grew up in Hedgehope and ran contracting businesses there.
Both had been members of the local volunteer brigade for more than 15 years.
"Growing up in a small tight-knit community when you can help out others, you always do," Mr Butcher said.
"It was good to go over and help out," Mr Brock said.
It was Mr Butcher’s third trip and Mr Brock’s first.
Hedgehope Chief Fire Officer Ken Keenan went on the second deployment to the same area.
He was leader of a crew of four whose job it was to identify and fell dangerous trees and to clear roads of fallen trees so they could be reopened, CFO Keenan said.
The crew was working in 40°C so every hour half they would take turns sitting in the air-conditioned truck drinking water.
The trucks also carried 500 litres of water and on one occasion the crew was redirected to a hot spot.
"We’ve always got to be prepared to flex and change direction all of a sudden when a call comes through.
"We class this as almost the pinnacle of our career as firefighters to be able to get deployed overseas, because firstly you’re representing your country and secondly you’re representing your brigades and your area."
