A Russian emergencies ministry spokesman told AFP that two giant Mi-26 choppers were undergoing final technical checks and would probably be delivered to France on Friday.

The craft, the biggest transport helicopters in the world, can carry 15 tonnes of water each and drop them on a precise point, ITAR-TASS quoted experts as saying.

A Russian corporation which manufactures fire-fighting planes also said that the French authorities had requested that some of these be deployed to combat the blazes.

"The French government has approached us for help in fighting the fires in France. Now we are discussing the question with the emergencies ministry, how we can participate in extinguishing these fires," Alexei Fedorov, president of Irkut, told Rossiya state television.

The firm's twin-engine turbojet Be-200 amphibious airplane can carry a maximum water supply of 12 tonnes. By collecting more seawater, the airplane is able to drop on the center of a fire up to 320 tonnes of water with one load.

Fuelled by a heat wave and the worst drought in a quarter of a century, the fast-moving forest fires have ravaged parts of southern France and Corsica since Monday, leaving five people dead, including four foreign tourists.

Greece and Norway offered water-dropping aircraft to French emergency services on Wednesday, following in the footsteps of Italy and Russia. For the first time, Paris has been forced to call in foreign reinforcements.

TERRA.WIRE