The Far South Coast NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) made the announcement on Sunday, as the status of the 192,489ha Border Fire that spread north from Victoria over 60 days had finally been lowered.

The move also occurred after a flare-up within the fireground around Nadgee Lake on Friday, which did not threaten properties but sent smoke to drift across the region.

The RFS said "patrol" does not mean the fire was out, but it showed the service was increasingly confident it was getting close.

The Border Fire was the last local fire to be moved to the status since the horror season began.

READ ALSO: It may take a village to bring back a sense of safety to the children of the bushfires

On February 12, the 315,512ha Badja Forest Road/Werri Berri Fire was downgraded, 48 days after it began.

The 19,633ha Big Jack Mountain Road Fire, which had been burning for 36 days, and the 12,285ha Postmans Trail Fire, which burnt for 33 days, were both downgraded on February 27.

It is hard to comprehend the amount of damage and destruction caused by this tragedy.

Figures from the RFS stated 58 per cent of the Bega Valley has been burnt and 448 homes lost, as well as four lives.

These deaths have left countless heartbroken. Each of those 448 homes has a family, impacted by the blazes. Then there are those who fought to save their house and have horrifying stories. There is the trauma brought to those who evacuated and thought their home could be destroyed, even if it was ultimately saved. And there are those who lived in smoke for weeks.

The pain and suffering caused by these fires goes on; national parks have been reduced to charcoal, native wildlife decimated, livestock annihilated.

READ ALSO: Salvaged logs from national parks could be used for commercial purposes

But while these tragedies have shattered our community, a ray of hope is it that 1344 homes were saved.

Australian Community Media surely speaks for all of our communities when we offer our profound thanks, sympathies and respect to all who have had a hand in fighting these fires.

Those who faced the flames - firefighters, volunteers, National Parks and Wildlife Service and Forestry Corporation staff as well as comrades across NSW and beyond - we have so much gratitude for you.

But thanks also must go to all the members of our community.

Our nurses, our teachers, our shopkeepers and everyone else, who have all remained resilient throughout the danger we faced and kept life in our towns and villages going through this terrible time.