Doug Schutz is one of 72,000 volunteers who join the world's largest fire brigade battling a forest fire in Australia.

Seeing the fire constantly spreading in Tomerong, New South Wales (NSW), Doug Schutz's fire brigade had to come up with a quick response: use a bulldozer to expand the fire-blocking belt. This seems to be the optimal way to protect hundreds of families in the village from being burned down by the forest.

This important decision maker is none other than Schutz, who has 53 years of experience as a volunteer firefighter in NSW. He started volunteering for the Rural Fire Force (RFS) as a 13-year-old boy. Schutz is currently the captain of Tomerong, part of Australia's largest voluntary fire brigade with 72,000 members, from many localities throughout NSW.

Volunteer firefighters have been a pioneer in the fight against the wildfire disaster in Australia since September last year. So far, serious fires in the country have killed at least 26 people, including three firefighters. Wildfires also destroyed 2,000 homes and continued to spread, threatening to erupt further as temperatures rose.

"I've lived here all my life and I've seen many wildfires. It's something no one wants, but it always happens. This time the wildfire is going to be unpredictable. When you think you've got it under control." , it suddenly flared up and attacked you from behind, "Schutz shared.

NSW citizens consider volunteer firefighters like Schutz to be heroes. In many places where wildfires occurred, local people hung many banners and banners to thank firefighters. This is in contrast to the blame they have on the authorities for their slow response to wildfires.

Like many other volunteers, Schutz never paid for his work. He even had to neglect his business since November 29 last year to fight the wildfire day and night. At times, he laughed at the current irony: he fought against forest fires but once planted firewood on a 48-hectare plot and sold it to people in the area.

In many other countries, people rely mainly on professional firefighters to deal with fires, so they often find it difficult to understand the volunteer fire force in Australia. But Schutz said people like him loved the job.

Gary Creer, a volunteer firefighter for the past 20 years, said he was lucky to be a member of the volunteer firefighting force, even though he was not paid by the government for taking time off from fire.

"Many volunteer firefighters are business people or run businesses, they are willing to suffer thousands of dollars in damage to do this job," Creer said.

Last week, Schutz and two other fire captain decided to change the direction of expanding the fire belt despite the objections of many. Creer said it was a wise decision because the wind changed direction.

"They helped us control the fire around the bay and its basin, prevent the fire from spreading to the north and ensure our safety," Creer said.

This week, Schutz instructed his team to use gasoline to create a controlled fire in the forest near Tomerong. This is a way to eliminate flammable things in the forest, to prevent a fire back.

Schutz said his desire to become a firefighter has seeped into his blood. Schutz's father was a founding member of the volunteer fire brigade in Tomerong, a village of 1,000 residents in southern NSW. His father also raised money at local dance events to buy more tools such as a fire locator.

"We grew up with wildfires. And in a place like Tomerong, understanding this place is very important. I can take you anywhere in the region and tell you what happened there. You can't know all that in just 5 minutes, "Schutz said.

Schutz was also a victim of wildfires when the fire burned down his property on Christmas 2011. He said it was the worst fire he had ever witnessed. The fireballs as big as a basketball were rushing towards the firefighters as they tried to protect the houses. At that time, Schutz and his wife Colleen Brittain, also a volunteer firefighter, were so busy protecting many other houses that they forgot their own houses were in danger.

"One member of the team told me 'It is better for you to go back and protect your house. The fire has attacked there. Everything is on fire. The woodpile is also on fire,'" Schutz said. again.

Later, Schutz and several firefighters tried to save his house and wood shed, but the damage from the fire made him empty. "We have 4,000 tons of firewood but the next day it only has ashes left," Schutz said.

He said wildfires were unpredictable and he didn't know how to control them yet.

"Many people in other countries may think that we are stupid to live here. But that's what we have and we have to deal with it. The bush in Australia can look very nice but also bring a lot of dangerous. Because wildfires can appear from there and attack you at any time, "Schutz said.