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Nine New Zealand firefighters have left to spend more than a month battling wildfires in northern California.
National Rural Fire Officer Murray Dudfield said the firefighters would form part of a 44-strong New Zealand-Australian team to assist their American counterparts as conditions worsen throughout California and other western states.
"The scale of this event just can't be imagined," said Mr Dudfield.
More than 300 fires have so far burned close to 1500sq km, destroyed 50 homes and threaten a further 4000. California is the worst-hit area, with 24 bushfires, and a further four are raging in the neighbouring desert state of Arizona.
The New Zealand team will head to Boise, Idaho, for an induction before being assigned to northern California.
