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"Flames reached up to 30 metres high and it looked like an atomic bomb had gone off."
Words of a southern firefighter describing the conditions that faced his team as they worked side-by-side with their Australian counterparts battling the inferno of bushfires in Victoria's high country last month.
The crew of five Southern Rural Fire Authority firefighters - made up of men from Mataura and Tapanui - have returned home after a 17-day deployment on the frontline fighting the massive bushfires that raged through the state's northeast in the Harrietville-Alpine north region.
The crew spent most of their time taming the Harrietville- Alpine north fire that claimed the lives of two Australian firefighters on February 13.
Forestry contract owner Warren Heslip led the crew made up of his workers Vuniyani Qoro, Napolioni Qasevakatini, Warren Joe Natuikata and Gabriel Phillips.
Mr Heslip said the sheer scale of the bushfires in Australia was always a challenge but the team's ability to fell dangerous eucalytus trees and walk up and down mountains were welcomed by exhausted Australian fire crews.
"The fire in the area we were in had burnt out a total of 167,000 hectares with 44 fires going at one stage," Mr Heslip said
Met with steep, remote and inhospitable country, the Southern Rural Fire Authority team's forestry knowledge and skills were put to good use.
"Our main tasks were to fell dangerous trees, eucalyptus species, because you have firefighters working backwards and forwards beneath them. You have to get rid of them," he said.
The team had to remove vegetation and back burn towards the fire so it could not feed itself. They also patrolled the area to ensure the fire did not escape from the breaks the crews had prepared.
The dangerous job was made even tougher by the mountainous terrain and the massive size of the fire, Mr Heslip said.
A long fire season had stretched the Australian firefighters, many of whom were volunteers and needed to get back to their day jobs, while others were exhausted.
"They came and helped us in Christchurch so it's great we can return the favour."
To hear Southern Rural Fire Authority firefighter Warren Heslip talk about his experience go to www.southlandtimes.co.nz
- © Fairfax NZ News
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