On Monday the Melbourne woman called her boss and got the day off. She headed for Blackwood, near Ballarat, to join her CFA crew. From there she went to Cobden, where she worked on a strike team unit, blacking out the devastating fires that tore through homes and destroyed farms.

She joined the CFA four years ago, when she was a teenager.

“I used to want to be a career firefighter,” she said. “I’ve changed my decision on that now though. I work in human resources. I worked in HR at the CFA for a little bit.”

Ms Purchase said she valued helping others when they were in desperate situations, such as the ones facing some south-west residents.

“I enjoy helping the community in times of need,” she said. “It’s times when we really need to help out vulnerable people who are in awful situations. Our group would do anything to work together and make a difference.”

She has experience with bushfires, having attended at the Scotsburn and Mount Bolton blazes.

Although she lives in Melbourne, she volunteers at the Blackwood CFA, where she has a holiday house.

“That’s where I can make the most impact,” Ms Purchase said.

She left Blackwood at 4.30am to get to Cobden.

“If we were ever in the same situation at Blackwood , we would love the same support,” she said.