Volunteer firefighters in New South Wales are calling for greater financial support from government as many firies clock up 100 days.

Key points: Many NSW volunteers have already spent 100 days fighting fires

Many NSW volunteers have already spent 100 days fighting fires A fire fighters' union representative says the current system is "unsustainable"

A fire fighters' union representative says the current system is "unsustainable" Declining populations in regional towns is also contributing to the pressure on volunteer fire fighters

Fires have devastated much of the state's east coast for weeks, with the northern tablelands ablaze since September.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Federal public service employees would be eligible for four weeks' paid leave.

However, he has so far ruled out expanding such support to non-government workers or those who are self-employed.

Leighton Drury, NSW state secretary of the Fire Brigade Employees Union, has called the current system "unsustainable" and said it was getting to the stage where volunteers were being treated like "slave labour".

What do volunteers say?

Harden farmer Peter Holding has been a Rural Fire Service volunteer with his local brigade for 40 years.

In that time, he has watched as conditions have worsened with a changing climate, but said he had still not seen things "as bad as this".

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"A big issue with the volunteer service is how long they can continue to do this as the season stretches into weeks and months," Mr Holding said.

"We need to have a big rethink about paying people and maybe employers as well."

A declining rural population is also adding pressure — every family leaving town means fewer volunteers.

Some volunteers, however, are resistant to the idea of a remunerated service.

Emma Ellis is a fourth-generation farmer in the New England region and has been a volunteer with the RFS for almost 15 years.

Not all volunteer fire fighters think payment is a good idea. ( Supplied: Rob McPaul Browne )

"I'm not sure you'd be encouraging the right sort of person if you started paying," she said.

"At the same time, if there's some way for active members to get some sort of compensation, it would help, especially as these fires have dragged on so long."

Cash or credit?

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian maintains the RFS is well-resourced and "will get what they need".

But Mr Drury refutes this claim, citing pleas for more equipment made on Facebook and in GoFundMe pages set up by fire service volunteers.

Some volunteers have suggested a reduction in their council rates as compensation. ( Supplied: Rob McPaul Browne )

Copacabana on the state's Central Coast, and Ingleside in Sydney's north, are among several brigades that have started grassroots campaigns appealing for funds to buy more face masks.

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"[There should be] a funding overhaul, including payments, [and] offsets or tax breaks to employers when their workers are away for extended periods," Mr Drury said.

Some volunteers have raised the idea of a reduction in their council rates to compensate for weeks without income.

Bilpin RFS volunteer and fruit grower Margaret Taddrosse said even the $15,000 emergency payment was "nowhere near enough".

"A lot of volunteers around here are tradies or self-employed and they've been without income for at least 10 days," she said.

"It's not enough to recover what many have lost."