A WEEK of work from Warwick and Toowoomba volunteer firefighters can be worth $2.6 million.

The 4496-member Rural Fire Brigades Association Queensland force is one of the biggest in regional Queensland.

The members can spend up to 20 hours week labouring in a range of roles.

With Volunteering Queensland estimating the value of unpaid work at $28.99, the 3600 men and 896 women from all walks of life and across all ages may complete work value at $579.80 each week during peak periods - that's $2,606,780.

Today many of the volunteers, their supporters and Queensland MPs will don a yellow ribbon to raise awareness of the sacrifice.

RFBAQ general manager Justin Choveaux said without unpaid firefighters and the brigades, communities would cease to exist.

"There are over 257,000 volunteer firefighters across Australia, and more emergencies across the country are dealt with by volunteers than part-time or full-time firefighters," he said.

"If it was not for the butcher, baker, grazier and candlestick makers who volunteer to train and defend their communities then many of those communities and towns would not be sustainable.

"As a community organisation, many rural fire brigades reflect the community defence needs that arise locally, from hazard reduction burning, responding to bushfires, road accident rescue, supporting SES volunteers in searching for missing people, cyclone and flood recovery, the list is endless."

Mr Choveaux said volunteers were needed across a range of areas, from incident control roles to support members, communication specialist, air base operators and community educators.

"Everyone has something to offer, as fire fighting is a small component of what rural fire brigades do for their communities," he said.

Fire and Emergency Services Minister Jack Dempsey thanked the region's brigade members.

"During a major incident or natural disaster, these men and women volunteer their own time, away from family and friends, to support their communities," Mr Dempsey said.

"It's these everyday people who do extraordinary things, who dedicate themselves to front-line services, fight fires, respond to road traffic crashes, search for the missing or lost, and help the community after a severe weather event."

"I want to say thank you to the mothers, fathers, sons and daughters who are serving Queensland."