Conservation Volunteers Australia put together squads to remove burnt trees and rebuild fences after the 2007 Black Saturday fires and also helped with the environmental clean-up after Cyclone Yasi.

Regional manager of the Illawarra and Shoalhaven chapter, Renae Riviere, said she was hoping locals would be keen to lend a hand.

"Our goal is to have a team representing the Illawarra trained and ready to respond should we be unfortunate enough to experience a catastrophic event in our home state," she said.

"The people of our region are the type that typically want to help out but don't always have the means to do so. We hope to provide them with those means in terms of transport, accommodation and training."

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