Foreign crews help Israel battle massive forest fire
Baku, December 3 (AZERTAC). Foreign firefighting crews have begun to arrive in Israel to help battle a massive forest fire out of control in the north of the country.
Further global assistance is due to arrive later on Friday, as fire crews battled high winds driving the blaze towards the city of Haifa.
At least 41 people have died and scores have been injured in what is thought to be the country`s largest forest fire.
At least 13,000 people, including prison inmates, have been evacuated.
Aircraft from Bulgaria, Jordan, Greece and the UK have arrived, after Israel issued a rare request for foreign assistance.
Planes from Cyprus, Turkey and Russia were on their way, while flame-retardant materials were being flown in from France, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said.
"The Russians are sending and we are waiting for the biggest firefighting plane in the world... an Antonov with huge firefighting capacity," he told Israel Radio.
He said he hoped the fire could be contained by Saturday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the blaze as an "unprecedented disaster".
He convened an emergency session of the cabinet in Tel Aviv on Friday morning and afterwards thanked countries for their help.
"I think this symbolizes an unprecedented response to our request for international help," he said.
Correspondents said he made a special point of thanking Turkey, which put aside recent diplomatic strains to send assistance.
Mr. Netanyahu then left to visit the injured and inspect the firefighting effort.
Israeli media have criticized the government`s lack of readiness.
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