Announced on Thursday, the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements will focus on mitigation, fireproof planning and infrastructure, adaptation to worsening conditions, and land clearing operations.

It will also look at the powers of the federal government in deploying defence force resources to disaster areas.

Owner of the Adelong newsagency, Sean Ryan joined the civilian fight in Batlow against the Dunns Road fire January 4. He recognises resourcing and personnel as the greatest challenge to his community.

"What would make a difference is having more eyes on the ground. There was nobody in town, and those who did stay were so exhausted they couldn't monitor everything," Mr Ryan said.

"I know of a few houses that were hit by embers on Sunday [January 5] night. Down at Batlow high school, the shed caught alight three days later, and it was just lucky someone spotted it."

Batlow Hotel publican Matthew Rudd remained behind after the town was declared "indefensible".

"It was scary to be told it's not defendable because there wasn't the resources to spread across all the fires [in the country]," he said.

"It was like saying this is a small country town and it doesn't matter if it burns. But even little towns are home to a lot of people."

Had the 60 or so residents not remained in the town that week, Mr Rudd says there would not be much still standing.

"There was a large pine tree near the edge of my pub, under the eaves and it caught alight. If I hadn't been here, the pub would have gone up," he said.

"I think there can be a lot more that's done to resource the state wisely. We need the manpower in place, we need more trucks, we need a surplus."

Climate change scientist Professor Andrew Macintosh was announced as one of the three commission panelists.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison indicated he would "acknowledge that we are living in hotter, drier, longer summers, and that means building our climate resilience".

Forestry ground covering and fuel loads has become a hot topic, and it is a question residents expect will be addressed by the royal commission.

"We need a best practice document for the future," said Snowy Valleys deputy mayor John Larter.

"I'd be hopeful that the commission would help us manage future fires. We're always going to have fire, it's just the intensity that will change.

"Having heavy floor covering on the forest, it's just common sense to me that you're going to end up with nasty fire seasons when that combines with high temperatures and strong winds.

"To me there should never be growth around communication towers. That essential infrastructure should be free of undergrowth. We couldn't advice people of the fire as it occurred when the communications towers burnt."

Among the further considerations for the royal commission is whether Indigenous land clearing methods should be adopted as part of the national fireproofing practice. Mr Larter supports this proposition.

"We need to talk about how to managed the lands more effectively, and get Aboriginal groups involved," Mr Larter said.

"We can learn from them and we need to do that moving forward."

The report will be handed down on August 31.