John Bennett's farm is one of the last parcels of land standing between the deadly Currowan bushfire and the New South Wales coastal town of Nowra.
The farm is under direct threat from the fire front to the south, but alarmingly the property is on swampland and a large underground fire is already burning in the bog's peat layer.
"If the fire gets into the swamp grass, it will be impossible to put out," Mr Bennett said.
When peat burns, it can burn deep underground for metres, even in damp conditions.
Wind gusts send oxygen to the underground fire and create flames on the surface.
Battling to prevent flare-ups
Along with his father Merv, 75, Mr Bennett has been working around the clock extinguishing flare-ups on their property boundary.
It is exhausting work.
"The more we can do the better, because it means the Rural Fire Service trucks can keep doing what they're doing," Mr Bennett said.
This week Shoalhaven City Council established deep containment lines around the property using heavy machinery.
Waterbombing aircraft are also closely monitoring the area.
A near miss
Two days ago a large fire flared but John and Merv were able to contain it.
"There was a moment when the wind turned around and all of a sudden it felt like I was going to choke," he said.
"It just got away in the blink of an eye."
Snakes alive
The Bennetts' farm first came under threat from bushfires on December 22.
Since then, snakes, spiders and other wildlife have been emerging from the swamp and escaping towards Nowra.
"Mother Nature knows what's happening and they're getting out of here," Mr Bennett said.
In the past week the family had two dogs suffer snake bites.
RFS fire prediction maps show the Currowan fire may spread to Nowra on Saturday, fanned by hot dry westerly winds.
The Bennetts will have all hands on deck to protect their farm and, by extension, the Nowra community.
"We can only do our best," Mr Bennett said.
