Tasmania Fire Service crews are on standby as the state’s temperature climbs towards 40C

The volunteer crew at one of Tasmania’s many country fire brigades is ready to be deployed anywhere.

Magra Fire Brigade members, from left, Wayne Marshall, Dallas Featherstone and Andrew Pegg are among the many firefighters statewide who are on standby for the day of total fire ban. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

THEY give up their own time to protect our land, properties and people but for a group of volunteer firefighters who are “like a small family”, they wouldn’t have it any other way.

A total fire ban is in place for northern and southern parts of the state on Friday as temperatures soar to an expected top of 39C in some areas.

Andrew Pegg, Dallas Featherstone and Wayne Marshall are among the 23 firefighters who volunteer at the Magra Fire Station and are standing by to quickly deal with any outbreaks.

STATE ON HIGH ALERT AS TOTAL FIRE BAN DECLARED

Mr Pegg has volunteered at the Derwent Valley station since 1982 and said the group of long-serving volunteers had endured some memorable times together.

“We’ve been to some extraordinary fires over the years, some of which being long, extended fires,” he said.

“There have been a lot of people who have come through this station over the past 50 years and we’ve lost a lot of good firefighters.”

Magra Fire Brigade members Andrew Pegg, left, Dallas Featherstone and Wayne Marshall are gearing up for a potentially terrible fire day with temperatures set to hit 38 degrees in the Derwent Valley. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Magra’s volunteer firefighters won’t know where they could be deployed to when they clock on for duty on Friday but that’s all part of it, Mr Pegg said.

“We basically go anywhere. We travelled for four hours return to help out at Lake Sorell on Wednesday – who knows where we could go [next]?” he said.

“But it’s a two-way street. At some point if there’s a fire here we’re assured that firefighters will come here and help us.”

Mr Pegg said the Magra fire crew was bonded by the time spent on duty together.

“The social side of it doesn’t really get seen outside of the four walls but we’re just like a small family,” he said.

“We go and do what we do and afterwards we come back and unwind over a beer and then get ready to come and do it again tomorrow.”

The Tasmania Fire Service said weather forecasts indicated fire danger ratings would be very high or severe for several districts.

The TFS is currently responding to 19 active bushfires across the state.