Aussies to help US fire fight

Firefighters from Australia and New Zealand are off to help counterparts battle more than 100 wildfires burning across the United States.

The 71-strong contingent will head to Idaho from Sydney Airport on Sunday.

It includes 20 officers from Victoria, 18 from NSW, nine from WA, four from the ACT, three from South Australia, two from Queensland and 15 from New Zealand.

Once in Idaho, crews will be directed to areas experiencing large fires burning out of control across California, Colorado, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, North Carolina, Nevada, Oregon, Texas and Washington.

They are expected to fulfil specialist leadership and field-based roles, including heavy machinery operators, task force leaders, divisional supervisors, aerobes managers, safety officers and strike team leaders.

They are all expected to remain in the US for up to five weeks.

More than 2.8 million hectares of land have been burnt in the affected regions so far this year.