Turkey sends planes to help Israel extinguish wildfires

By Kaamil Ahmed

JERUSALEM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday thanked Turkey for sending specialized aircraft to help put out a rash of wildfires that recently broke out in several parts of the country.

Greece, Croatia, Italy, Greek Cypriot administration and Russia have also all offered to send a combined total of 10 planes to help extinguish the blazes.

In a Wednesday statement issued by the prime minister’s office, Netanyahu said he had asked for foreign support due to fears that stronger winds on Thursday might help spread the fires.

The Times of Israel website has reported that hundreds of people were evacuated from the northern city of Haifa on Thursday after two days of raging wildfires.