As nine wildfires continue to burn in California, people from all over the United States are offering a helping hand.
Brook Smith is the area forester in Knox, Anderson and Sevier Counties in Tennessee -- and he's been stationed just South of the Ferguson fire in Yosemite National Park.
"We throw down tents in the grass, wake up and go fight fires. I usually work 15 hours a day," Brook Smith said.
Smith's job is to make sure all of the information boards are up to date throughout the community to make sure everyone knows what direction the fire is headed and if they should be worried.
"My biggest safety issue is that I'm on the roads a lot and the traffic flow. This is a high tourist area and I think I've been averaging 150 miles a day," Smith said.
Smith is nearing the end of his tour, but said the daily grind is starting to catch up.
"The worst part is the fatigue that sets in. You're out of pocket, you're away from your home sleeping in a tent. So, I've been camping for the last 11 days," Smith said.
The Ferguson Fire is in the Yosemite National Park and it has swallowed up 96,606 acres of land. The latest numbers show 910 personnel working on the fire. The good news is that it is now 86% contained.
"They have a huge portion of dead timber standing still," Smith said.
Smith said there's still a lot to do, but things are looking better where he is. While he misses being home, the last 10 days have been a huge learning experience that he wouldn't be able to get anywhere else.
It wasn't just Smith gaining this experience. He said crews from Idaho, Florida, Arizona and Mississippi made up just his team, and many others from Tennessee were there as well.
Smith's 14 day tour ends on Thursday. He'll be heading home on Friday.