Fifty more Kiwi firefighters deployed overseas to battle wildfires in Canada

Fifty-four firefighters are being deployed from New Zealand to combat the growing number of wildfires in Canada.

Along with an 11 person management team, the group will fly out of Auckland this evening.

Members of the group have been drawn from Fire and Emergency New Zealand, the Department of Conservation, the New Zealand Defence Force, forestry companies and contractors.

They will be split into 18 three-person crews who will engage in fire suppression and the management team will assist the management of multiple fires.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand national manager, rural Kevin O'Connor says their assistance was requested along with other Canadian provinces and Australia and Mexico.

"At the latest count there are 453 fires burning in British Columbia and the British Columbia Wildfire Service has requested assistance to help manage the situation," he said.

O'Connor said the deployment will offer valuable development opportunities for those taking part and highlights the high regard New Zealand fire personnel are regarded overseas.

The group will fly to Vancouver to be inducted and briefed before they are deployed.

It is the 22nd overseas deployment for New Zealand fire personnel since 2000 and last year, 83 New Zealand fire personnel were sent to British Columbia.

The latest deployment is in addition to the current 36 fire personnel who are about to be deployed in the north and northwest of the United States.