Thousands of Australia's volunteer firefighters put their lives on the line to defend our communities this summer, battling relentlessly through one of the worst bushfire seasons the country has endured.

It's hard not to be awestruck by the bravery and selflessness of these men and women and many might question what compels them to voluntarily put themselves in danger to protect others.

The way senior CFS firefighter Thomas Fogg tells it, it all comes back to pride in serving the communities that mean everything to them.

It's a service that can have a deep impact on the mental health of those who are confronted with death, destruction and extreme danger and they've got to have each others backs.

We call them heroes...but they say it's just the right thing to do.