The ferocious bushfires that swept through parts of the Riverina and South West Slopes left behind an unimaginable trail of destruction.

Lives have been lost, houses razed, forests destroyed, wildlife and livestock killed, farmland scorched and infrastructure damaged.

It will take years - and for the hardest hit towns and villages even decades - for the recovery to be complete.

Sadly, some places might never be quite the same again. However, the monumental task of rebuilding has already begun.

The first steps are small but important ones. Roads are being cleared, power restored, fences repaired and timber salvaged.

In due course houses and sheds will be rebuilt, trees, vines and crops replanted and herds and flocks restocked.

We know the terrible toll these fires have taken on so many people's lives, but we also know beyond any doubt that it could have been so much worse.

If not for the actions of friends, neighbours and in many cases total strangers, there is no telling just how bad the devastation might have been.

It is important that we, as a community, take a moment amid all the competing priorities to stop ever so briefly to celebrate this fact.

From the heroism of our firefighters on the frontline to the generosity of complete strangers behind the scenes, these are the stories that need to be told.

They need to be told so that it is this astounding display of community spirit that becomes the lasting legacy of the 2020 bushfires, not the death and destruction.

They need to be told so that in the future, when tragedy inevitably strikes again, people can be inspired and have confidence that there is a way back.

So, if you know of someone who deserves recognition for their role - no matter how big or how small - in helping us get through the last few weeks, please go to www.dailyadvertiser.com.au/thanks/ and fill in the form.