Fatefully, the 19-year RFS veteran was holidaying on the state's South Coast when disaster struck in summer.

It was already months into the state's worst-ever fire season.

He cancelled the family holiday, and got to work. At one point he was fighting fires for over 40 days straight.

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Captain Stevenson, who is both Tamworth District Group Captain and in charge of a local Brigade, was awarded a prestigious NSW Government Community Service Award on Wednesday.

Superintendent Allyn Purkiss said the volunteer really earned it.

He was fighting fires constantly from August until the blazes were out in January, Superintendent Purkiss said.

All season "he seemed to be at a fire somewhere in the state, so it's certainly worthy of recognition", he said.

Captain Stevenson comes from a long line of firefighters; his dad became a Group Captain in the 70s, when Peter was born.

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He joined the force in 2001.

He said the award is "obviously an honour".

"That's not why we do it; we're just there to help our neighbours out in their time of need. We've got to help out where we can."

Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson handed over the award at a brief ceremony on Wednesday.

He credited the tireless work of firefighters like Captain Stevenson as "the reason why many of us are still here".

"Sadly, while we did lost lives and lost property, it could have been a lot worse."

Mr Anderson paid credit to the state's volunteers, working tirelessly "day and night" to save lives and property across the state.

Mr Stevenson also returned to the South Coast in winter, to help bushfire-affected communities clean up after the Black Summer fires.

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