Turkey helps as Israel struggles to contain deadly wildfires

Firefighting teams from around the world flew into Israel on Friday to help battle a huge forest fire close to the northern city of Haifa that has killed at least 40 people and forced mass evacuations.

Israel appealed for international help on Thursday and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Greece, Cyprus, Britain, Jordan, Bulgaria and Russia had all heeded the call, as well as Turkey, which laid aside recent diplomatic strains to send aid.

Turkey has sent two fire fighting airplanes to Israel after a fire erupted in Haifa city on Thursday.

Planes and helicopters repeatedly swooped over the burning woodland, dumping sea water onto the flames below, but officials conceded that the blaze was still out of control more than 24 hours after it started.

The fire scorched more than 7,000 acres of land, destroyed houses and revealed shortcomings in the ability of local emergency services to tackle such a disaster.

"The fires are still not under control and the strong winds are making things worse," the chief of Israel's fire service, Shimon Romah, told Israel Radio.

A huge pall of smoke was clearly visible from the Mediterranean port of Haifa, just to the north of the fire, and authorities ordered the evacuation of 15,000 residents around the Carmel Ridge, where the blaze was focused.

"Turkey help"

Israeli premier appreciated Turkey's sending two fire fighting planes to put out the forest fire in Israel.

Netanyahu called Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the phone on Friday, and said that he called to convey his appreciation to Turkey for sending the planes.

The assistance of Turkey was very big and meaningful, Netanyahu told Erdogan.

Erdogan also expressed sorrow over death of 41 Israeli citizens during the fire, and he offered condolences to Israel.

Erdogan said that Turkey was ready to help injured people too.

In a written statement issued Friday, Turkish Ministry of Environment and Forestry said that the two CL-215 type airplanes were sent upon a directive from Erdogan to assist in extinguishing the fire at Israeli city of Haifa.

Two fire fighting airplanes sent from Turkish capital of Ankara have reached Israel at about 10.00 hours today.

In case of a request (from Israel), five Cross-border Fire Operation Teams are waiting ready in Turkish provinces of Mersin, Adana and Kahramanmaras to help efforts to extinguish the fire.


/World Bulletin/