Firefighters from NSW and a Chinook waterbombing helicopter are travelling to Europe at the request of the French government.

The CH-47D Chinook and a Bell 412 reconnaissance and support aircraft departed Sydney accompanied by 24 firefighters, pilots, engineers, and maintenance and support specialists who will help during one of France's most severe wildfire seasons in decades.

NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner Trent Curtin says the “historic deployment” marks the first time the service will help fight blazes in Europe.

It is also the first time aircraft with night waterbombing capability will operate in France.

More than 220,000 people were evacuated in France this week as wildfires devastated 42,000 hectares of forest west of Bordeaux.

The UK, Spain, Germany, Greece and Turkey also battled fires.

Federal Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain says Australia has some of the finest firefighting capability in the world.

“We are only too happy to assist, just as France came to our aid during the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires,” she said.

Another contingent will soon deploy to Canada, and NSW personnel from the RFS, National Parks and Wildlife Service and State Emergency Service are already supporting wildfire operations in the US.

Tanker Marie Bashir has delivered more than 1.4 million litres of fire retardant across 32 fires in two US states. A second deployment to the US is scheduled for August 11 and will include an incident management team, field supervision personnel and firefighters.

NSW Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib says the state has “earned an international reputation for bush fire management”.