WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is immediately deploying a team of firefighting experts and airlifting much-needed firefighting supplies to Israel to assist in fighting the raging wildfires in the Carmel Mountains outside of Haifa, Israel.

"We offer our deepest condolences to those who have lost loved ones in this fire, and we will stand by the people of Israel in their time of need," said USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah. "USAID is leading an aggressive response. We are delivering much-needed fire retardant and we have immediately deployed firefighting and disaster management experts to Israel."

Through its partnership with the U.S. Forest Service's Disaster Assistance Support Program, USAID is deploying a team of experts to join their Israeli counterparts to help combat the fires. In addition, USAID is sending 45 metric tons of Fire-Trol fire retardant and 12,000 liters of WD881 Class A foam, valuable tools in the suppression of wildland fires.

The Unites States stands prepared to provide additional assistance should it be necessary.

For more information about USAID's emergency humanitarian assistance programs, please visit: www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/working-crises-and-conflict.

About the U.S. Agency for International Development

The American people, through USAID, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years. For more information about USAID's programs, please visit http://www.usaid.gov.