Israel evacuates 80,000 from Haifa as fires rage

The Israeli civil defence has evacuated more than 80,000 people from their homes in northern Haifa on Thursday as fires continued to rage for a third day.

By late afternoon, more than 100 people in the Haifa area had been treated for fire-related injuries, mostly smoke inhalation, Israeli media outlets reported.

Israeli officials said that about 10 firefighting planes from Croatia, Cyprus, Greece and Italy, as well as Russia and Turkey, had either arrived in Israel or were on their way.

The Palestinian Authority also said it will send fire crews to assist in putting down the fires.

A spokesman for the Palestinian civil defence, Nael Al- Azzah, said that the State of Palestine had agreed to offer assistance to Israel and provide firefighters and logistical support and food to help put out the fire burning Israeli and Arab cities and their surrounding climes.

He added that the Palestinian firefighters will leave in the coming hours, after completing coordination procedures to enter Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that the wildfires were partially caused by “arson”, echoing Israel’s most senior police officer.

“Every fire that was the result of arson or incitement to arson is terror in every way and we’ll treat it as such,” Haaretz quoted the Israeli premier as warning.