REDDING – California’s agonizing fire fight is attracting help from far and wide.

Firefighters are pouring in from several states and now the call for help has spread internationally.

Up to 200 firefighters from Australia and New Zealand arrived Friday help battle the wildfires burning along the West Coast.

The fires have already killed six people and destroyed 1,000 homes and other structures.

The team of 188 fire specialists, including safety officers and helicopter pilots, are being deployed in Oregon and Washington.

Rob Rogers, Deputy Commissioner of New South Wales (NSW) Rural Fire Service, told SBS News that Australia was keen to support its US colleagues, two of whom have died on the front line.

"When you see the community impacted like that by fire, it's really difficult for firefighters, because firefighters want to help people,” he said.

“You just want to try and minimize harm to people and obviously try and save their property. That is just a thing that is built into them."

The Australian contingent reportedly includes 60 NSW firefighters and 12 from Queensland. Victoria and South Australia are yet to decide how many personnel they will send.

This is not the first time Australian firefighters have been deployed overseas. More than 100 Australians went to Canada to help contain fires in the province of British Columbia last year.

Story Date: August 4, 2018