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Firefighters From Australia And New Zealand To Help Battle California Wildfires

(CNN) -- Fire crews from Australia and New Zealand are heading to California to aid in the massive battle against wildfires, according to Cal Fire Director Ken Pimlott.

Pimlott told reporters in Anderson that 40,000 people have been displaced due to the state's wildfires. A total of 450,000 acres have burned, most of them being consumed by the Carr Fire and the Ranch and River Fires in Northern California.

There are 14,000 firefighters from California and other states fighting the blazes.

The international fire teams from Australia and New Zealand will arrive in Redding on Monday, Pimlott said.

Fire and Rescue New South Wales tweeted Thursday that 13 of its firefighters and specialists would deploy from Australia to the United States.

"The FRNSW contingent are among the 100 personnel from across Australia deployed to the region," the tweet said.

The-CNN-Wire
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