The combined Riverina South Strike Team from the Riverina Zone and Southern Border team was deployed to assist in the Shoalhaven in December 2019, and it was there where they found themselves trapped between two converging fire fronts.

The NSW Rural Fire Service's Bradley Stewart said the team was "effectively in the eye of the storm", but they never gave up.

"These guys lived through a fire event that very few firefighters will ever experience within their careers," Mr Stewart, the Riverina Zone operational officer, said.

"It was an exceptionally dangerous situation, and we are incredibly fortunate that none of them were injured, or worse."

After strike team leaders Rob Thomas and Peter Bye separated from their unit to report on the status of the fire at Deans Gap, the entire strike team found themselves faced with what Mr Stewart described as "exceptionally rare" fire behaviour.

The Tianjara and Currowan fires were just 500 metres from Mr Thomas and Mr Bye, converging and coming straight for them. After three failed attempts to get back to their strike team, their only option was to withdraw to safety and wait for conditions to ease.

Whilst Mr Thomas and Mr Bye were trying to reunite with their fellow firefighters, the strike team had taken up position to defend a cluster of isolated rural properties. While performing property protection, they were overrun by the two converging fires.

The intensity and ferocity of the fire forced the strike team to move to a defendable area and take shelter in their trucks, but when one of their vehicles ran low on water, members nearby left the safety of their own appliance and connected their fellow crew up to water from their tanker so they would be safe.

Mr Thomas and Mr Bye were then able to reunite with their fellow firefighters with the assistance of a crew from St George's Basin.

The entire team has since received a Commissioner's Certificate of Commendation (Unit) during Saint Florian's Day, named after the Patron Saint of firefighters.

The day, celebrated on Tuesday, traditionally sees firefighters and their families recognise those who have gone above and beyond, showing incredible acts of bravery in protecting the community. Mr Thomas said the recognition was a "total surprise".