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 injured in what is thought to be the country's largest ever forest fire.

At least 13,000 people, including prison inmates, have been evacuated.


The fire has been raging all night despite efforts 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 en route, while flame-retardant materials were being flown in from France, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said.