A volunteer firefighter has died while battling a blaze in the NSW Hunter region.
The male volunteer was fighting a fire near Cessnock when he suffered a suspected heart attack on Thursday evening.
Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said the man's death is a tragic reminder about the dangers faced by members.
"This is a terrible tragedy, where somebody who has gone to assist the community in its time of need, has paid the ultimate sacrifice," Commissioner Fitzsimmons said in a statement on Thursday night.
Emergency Services minister David Elliott said he was deeply saddened by the news.
"The volunteer, like all our emergency service workers, was selflessly dedicating his time to the protection of the community," he said in a statement.
"It is a timely reminder of the dangers faced by our emergency service workers every day."
