The bushfire crisis has ripped the heart out of communities across NSW and it left firefighters having to make some very hard decisions.

Fire and Rescue NSW Dubbo brigade firefighter Ms Johansen has been sent on two separate deployments to battle bushfires recently.

READ MORE: NSW bushfire house toll approaches 1700

The first was a seven-day deployment to Casino in northern NSW in November where her team of firefighters was tasked to perform "property protection" for a number of homes.

"We had to determine what kind of place was defendable," Ms Johansen said as the bushfire loomed close.

"We were sent to one home for property protection that was quite well prepared ... then there was another house that was all covered in vines."

Ms Johansen said firefighter safety was absolutely paramount in these situations.

READ ALSO: See how much more water Dubbo residents used during the heatwave

When crews determine if a home is defendable in a bushfire part of their consideration is whether there is an "escape route for firefighters" just in case things go wrong.

She said home owners in Casino were very understanding when told that there homes would be very hard to defend when the bushfire hit, but the determination of whether they left or stayed was up to the individual.

Then last month Ms Johansen and another team of firefighters were sent on a six-day deployment to Jenolan Caves as an out-of-control bushfire threatened the historic tourist site.

The 274,068 hectare Green Wattle Creek bushfire was tearing through the Kanangra-Boyd National Park and straight towards Jenolan Caves.

"There were a few houses that were of historical significance, but Caves House was our primary focus," Ms Johansen said.

"I'd never been there before and it was very cool to see, but there was a bit of pressure to protect it."

Firefighting operations have now been scaled back at Jenolan Caves and the Green Wattle Creek bushfire is listed as 'being controlled'.

READ ALSO: Break a leg: To subscribe or not to subscribe? That is the question

Ms Johansen is currently a retained or on-call firefighter who has dreams of one day making it as a permanent full-time firefighter with Fire and Rescue NSW.

"I just love the team work as well as serving the community. I love the challenges this role brings," she said.

Why not subscribe, the first 30 days of full website access is free.