International planes rush to rescue Israel

The Israeli Prime Minister has thanked more than 13 nations for sending emergency crews and equipment to help quell the 3,700-acre fire in areas surrounding the Carmel Forest.

Israel has been left defenceless in the face of raging wildfires across forests near the northern port city of Haifa. Up to 41 people have died in the flames and some thousands displaced.

The blaze has been raging since Thursday through the tinder-dry Carmel hills because Israel has no water-bombers to extinguish the fires.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted his country was unprepared for the disaster: "Israel has never prepared itself in any form for such a need, It was never taken into account."

He told reporters: "We have to stop the fire. It can only be done with the aircraft, we don't have any other means...We need to bring in more planes."

Netenyahu's appeal prompted an unprecedented wave of international assistance.

Up to 100 fire-fighters from Bulgaria arrived as well as fire extinguishing planes and crews from Greece and Britain.

Israeli officials have said that more aid was on its way from the US, Russia, Egypt, Cyprus, Jordan, Spain, Azerbaijan and Romania.

Turkey also sent fire-fighting aircraft, putting aside political tensions over Israel's deadly raid on the Gaza-bound flotilla in May.

Israeli officials say, two small fires that broke out in the area where an inferno is raging, appear to have been deliberately set but it is unclear if they are connected to the larger forest fire.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says a bicycle and an unspecified head covering found near the scene of one of the fires suggested arson was to blame.

Another police official, Roni Atia, says two suspects have been detained in connection with one of the small fires, which were quickly contained.