Heels to firefighter boots for Jessie Hughes

Jessie Hughes of Whangamata at the recent fire at Pumpking Hill-Sailors Grave north of Tairua. Photo / Supplied

From high heels to firefighting boots, Jessie Hughes is a teenager making her mark.

The Whangamata 18-year-old has followed in the footsteps of her brother and father as a volunteer with Onemana Rural Fire Brigade but is being given opportunities to lead due to the respect she's earned herself.

"Honestly, from when I first started they treated me like I was one of them," she says of her fellow crew.

"I fitted in straight away and it was such a big thing. It really builds confidence up and I've met so many other female firefighters at different fires. It's cool how much my crewmates push me to keep going."

Jessie was crowned Queen of the Ball at Whangamata Area School and was delivered to the event by her Onemana crew in the brigade's Unimog.

Among the members is her dad, Preston, and brother, Shannon, and cousin, Kaea Barbarich.

This is her third year in the brigade, and already she's being encouraged to take on extra training for more of a leadership role.

This would include duties such as planning and looking after the crew, and making decisions.

She says rural fire chief Jo Adams has been a great help. Her firefighter volunteer work was taken into consideration for her school qualifications, which helped with juggling the time commitments.

"I've been privileged to go to most of the big callouts like the Pumpkin Hill-Sailors Grave fire this year, a big fire at Matakana and Golden Valley Waihi, which Jo describes as 'a nasty fire, steep and ugly'."

Jessie describes volunteering as physical but also requiring mental effort: "Because you have to think of how you keep yourself and your crew safe," she says. "But physically it pays off big time.

"Sailors Grave was draining because it was hot. You really had to keep yourself going. Physically it was very tiring because it's quite steep and you had all the ash in your face, but it was really rewarding."

Jo Adams is warning of very dry conditions that require extra caution.

He said there had been extra pressure as holidaymakers came down for the long weekends.

"We've been around and know the dryness out there, and there are idiots still lighting fires at Opotuere Beach at night, so we're policing that."

Shannon Hughes, Adam Smith and Preston Hughes of the Onemana Rural Fire Brigade at a fire north of Waihi. Photo / Supplied

There was large signage at the entrance to the settlement warning of the fire risk and total ban, so there was no excuse, he said.

Thames-Coromandel District is in a Prohibited Fire Season, effective December 21. All Department of Conservation land also remains in a prohibited fire season meaning no fires are permitted to be lit in open areas.

In Hauraki District, it is a Restricted Fire Season, permits are required.