Nowra and Ulladulla Toyota back BlazeAid's local efforts with a car

Working alongside the rural families, the volunteers help to rebuild fences and other structures that have been damaged or destroyed.

The group has one team of workers based out of Milton and an extra satellite group set to start work in Kangaroo Valley next week.

In three weeks of operation, the Milton group has already had 229 volunteers, who have produced 940 volunteer days of work.

A total of 139 farms have registered for help in the southern area and 18 farms have had work completed.

More than 18 kilometres of fencing has been cleared and so far six kilometres of fencing has been reinstated.

The group, which has carried out work in Milton, Sussex Inlet, Wandanadian, Sassafras, Lake Conjola and Woodburn, expects to be in the region for between nine to 12 months.

The team is based and works out of the Milton Showground but will relocate to the Ulladulla Caravan Park from March 3-9 due to the annual Milton Show.

Read more:

With so much work to undertake the group approached Shoalhaven City Council with the hope of gaining some help, in particular the use of a vehicle.

Through council's Economic Development and Property Management departments an approach was made to local Toyota dealer Ian Henry.

Through Nowra and Ulladulla Toyota and Toyota Australia, Mr Henry has arranged for BlazeAid to be given access to an almost new Hilux dual cab.

"We just saw this as a way of being able to help the community and its recovery after the fires," Mr Henry said.

"They [BlazAid] are doing a great job helping and looking after the community, replacing fencing and property burnt in the fires.

"We just felt we should do something and it's great to be able to help them out.

"When Greg Pullen from council approached us, it was a yes.

"We've done a lot of other things in the local area to try and help out after the fires and this was just something we could easily arrange and do."

He said at this stage the vehicle would be available to the organisation for three to six months, before being returned and placed on sale in the used car lot.

The Kangaroo Valley crew also has a huge load of work ahead and will be based out of a property on Tallowa Dam Road with work to be carried out in Budgong, Tallowa Dam Road and Jacks Corner Road areas.

Milton co-ordinator Patrick Berkery said the response to BlazAid has been superb.

"We can't thank all our volunteers enough," he said.

"They are all doing a great job.

"Now we are establishing a second group in Kangaroo Valley this vehicle will be of great assistance.

"It's fantastic council has been able to arrange this and help us out."

To be a volunteer for BlazeAid just go to the website https://blazeaid.com.au/.

You don't need any fencing experience, just a willingness to give it a go and learn on the job. You can volunteer for a day or two, or a week or more.

Volunteers must be aged 12 years and older, and any volunteers under the age of 18 years must be accompanied and supervised by a responsible adult.

Teams work seven days a week, however, volunteers are encouraged to have one or two days off a week.

If you are not able to do fencing work, there are often other jobs to do around the basecamp, including cleaning, catering, tool shed, etc.

Volunteers are asked to contact the Camp Coordinators directly, if you can. Click here to visit BlazeAid's current camps page.