I’m a professional firefighter employed by Fire Rescue NSW and working out of Balmain fire station.

When I arrived at work on Sunday, the crew who were just finishing their shift looked dead on their feet. There was a pile of dirty hose in the backyard, and the fire engine stank of smoke.

They had spent the night down at the Menai bushfire. Given it was still burning we all prepared ourselves for the inevitable call from our communications centre. It came, and off we went.

The next 14 hours were what campaign bushfires are always like for fire crews on the ground. A degree of confusion, periods of hard dirty work followed by periods of boredom, feeling hungry and hot, and always not really knowing what is going on elsewhere.

There were firefighters from Fire and Rescue NSW, the Rural Fire Service, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and local people organised in community fire units. Everyone got on fine, and we got the job done. With hindsight it is a testament to all involved that no lives or property were lost. It was a big fire right up against the edge of our biggest city.