Alberta sends help during L.A. fires [Video]

Alberta’s premier says the province is preparing to support California fight a series of wildfires tearing through Los Angeles County.

Alberta will send an incident command team, as well as water bombers and night-vision helicopters to California, and is working with the federal government and Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre to assess what the state needs.

“Good neighbours are always there for each other in times of need, and we will assist our American friends in any way they need during this crisis,” Smith wrote on social media.

Five fires have burned about 108 square kilometres and continue to burn in densely populated areas around the city of Los Angeles.

As of Thursday morning, five people had been reported dead, 130,000 people had been ordered to evacuate, and about 2,000 buildings had been destroyed.