About 60 firefighters will battle it out for top honours in a "rare event" in Oamaru next month.
They will be competing for double honours when the Otago-Southland championship and the South Island championship are held together at Awamoa Park on February 5.
Competition organiser Greg Harper said holding both championships at the same time would make for "a very rare event".
The Otago-Southland championship has eight four-member teams entered from Bluff, Browns (Winton), Queenstown, Mosgiel, Balclutha, Oamaru, Clyde and Roxburgh.
In addition, there will be two-member teams from Kaitangata and Mossburn.
Teams from Canterbury, Greymouth, Rangiora, Akaroa and Christchurch Airport will join them in the South Island championships.
The two championships combined will provide a spectacular sight, with each team completing nine runs of different tasks all based on practical firefighting skills.
The tasks range from fire extinguishing through to replacing broken hoses.
The activities run from 8.30am to about 5pm.
Winners will be presented with their awards at a dinner on the Saturday night.
Oamaru last hosted the Otago-Southland competition in 2004.
Last year, the town revived the South Island championship, which will now be held every two years as a stand-alone event.
On the Friday - February 4 - before the competition, the Otago-Southland provincial fire brigades conference will be held, with a church service on the Sunday.
