The weekend's state memorial for NSW bushfire victims was "a very heartful day" according to Jellat Rural Fire Service brigade captain Clem Barnden.
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Clem, along with wife Rosey and their son Nathan attended the tribute at Sydney Olympic Park on Sunday, February 23.
Nathan is the chairman of the NSW RFS Young Members Group and recited a poem as part of the moving event - The Dash, by Linda Ellis.
The memorial service paid special tribute to the three RFS volunteers and the three US airmen who died during the bushfire crisis. The three Americans died when their C-130 water bomber crashed in bushland near Cooma.
Adding more hurt, and poignancy, to the event for the Barndens was the tragic loss of Wandella father and son Robert and Patrick Salway - Robert was Rosey's brother; Robert and Patrick Nathan's uncle and cousin - and another Cobargo stalwart Ross Rixon.
Candles were lit for each of the 25 victims of the fires and six pairs of boots were symbolically displayed for the lost firefighters.
Clem said it was "as nice a day as can be expected" with plenty of fellow emergency service personnel from organisations including the State Emergency Service there in recognition of the terrible toll exacted by the bushfires.
"It was a good turnout and a great tribute," Clem said.
"It's very hard on all the families of all the members."
Also attending the service was Tathra RFS senior deputy captain Jason Lewington, in his role as Rural Fire Service Association state council member and chairman of the Bega Valley branch.
There would've been more members of the Bega Valley RFS brigades in attendance were it not for the fact they are still in the field fighting fires that are not yet out, despite recent rains.
RFS Far South Coast Superintendent John Cullen said "the work is ongoing to get them all knocked out".
"We're continuing to linescan them, quite often it's tree stumps or logs still smouldering away next to our containment lines," he said.
Offering assistance this week is also former Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his own RFS brigade colleagues.
On Monday Mr Abbott was working with a RAFT crew - Remote Area Firefighting Team - in Rats Valley, north-west of Pambula.