New Zealand firefighters have had to receive special survival training to fight historic wildfires in North America.

More than 100 firefighters, soldiers and forestry experts have been sent to battle the blazes.

They are helping contain dozens of blazes in the US and Canada, including the largest wildfire in Californian history.

KTLA's Eric Spillman told Kate Hawkesby they have been trained in how to dig fire shelters.

That's not used in NZ very often, but it is used in an emergency during a fire when you are about to be overcome with a wall of flames

LISTEN ABOVE AS ERIC SPILLMAN SPEAKS TO KATE HAWKESBY