Kiwi firefighters to help with US wildfires

An air tanker drops red fire retardant on a wildfire near Twisp, Washington state, as thousands of residents flee south. Photo / AP

Fifteen Kiwi firefighters are joining the battle against wildfires raging in northern and western parts of the US.

National Rural Fire Officer Kevin O'Connor said the team would leave on Sunday for the National Interagency Fire Centre in Boise, Idaho, where they would be briefed and deployed to Washington, Montana, California or Oregon.

A team of rural firefighters returned from a month-long stint in Canada last week.

Mr O'Connor said fires in Oregon and Washington have burnt more than 200,000 hectares in the past few days, while fires in California have destroyed nearly 50,000 hectares this year.

High temperatures, dry conditions and lightning strikes were hampering efforts by thousands of local firefighters and army volunteers.

Mr O'Connor said the Kiwi team would be joined by 60 Australian firefighters.

"Their logistics skills will be in high demand, especially managing aircraft to fight fires and ferry supplies to remote locations.

"They are likely to be working in rugged, mountainous terrain, which will make for a demanding deployment, especially in the very high temperatures gripping those states at the moment."

At the moment it is a two-week assignment, but Mr O'Connor said that could be extended by a further fortnight.