But Outram volunteer senior firefighter Peter Watkins (55) was unwilling to take any credit, despite witnesses' accounts of his deeds.
He said it was a ''team effort'' and he was ''just doing my job, mate''.
A house in Morris Rd, Chain Hills, was in danger of being burned to the ground in Wednesday's Saddle Hill fire before the first crew arrived - Mr Watkins' volunteer crew of five.
''Our task was just to save the house,'' he said.
''The heat up there was phenomenal. We were right in the face of the fire. I could feel it [the heat] through my gloves, it was that hot.''
Mr Watkins, an 18-year Fire Service veteran and a technical sales engineer, said that when the crew arrived, the fire was threatening one side of the house and quickly moved around the back.
''We thought we could give it a quick knockout on one side [and] then we went round the other side.
''Because the heat index [was] so high and it [was] so hot, things just started to burn. Things just burst into flames.
''The pump operator had to hide behind the truck because it was burning him from 40 yards [37m] away.''
Mr Watkins said the intense heat caused garage windows to break and spot fires to start everywhere, especially on the lawn.
Smoke was so thick he was unable to see more than 10m in front of him.
After about 45 minutes, Mr Watkins' air cylinder ran out, his blood pressure had dropped and he was exhausted.
He and his partner had to pull out.
He dropped to the ground ''absolutely knackered''.
St John then transported him to Dunedin Hospital. He was discharged about two hours later.
The house was saved and there was ''nothing that can't be fixed'', he said.
Outram Chief Fire Officer John Eaton was pleased with his team.
''The ... guys performed well,'' he said.
''They are all volunteers [and] train really hard.
''To be so close to losing something ... it was bloody awesome, really.
