High winds forecast as Jerusalem wildfires rage for second day
Israeli firefighters were battling wildfires around Jerusalem for a second day on Thursday and hoped to bring them under control in the course of the day despite fears they could spread due to the weather.
Crews were still working at six major fire sites, the Fire and Rescue Authority said, adding that at least 21 firefighters have been injured and required medical treatment.
Large areas of land near Jerusalem have burnt, charring fields and forests around the city.
Firefighting planes have arrived from Cyprus, and further aircraft have been dispatched from Italy and Croatia and were expected to arrive later in the day in order to assist the efforts.
Conditions have improved in some areas, allowing roads previously closed due to thick smoke — including the main highway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem — to reopen.
Train services to and from Jerusalem have resumed, according to the Israeli railway company, and some residents of affected areas have been allowed to return to their homes.
The Ynet news site reported that over 100 cars abandoned during the chaos on Wednesday have been towed away. Videos showed people fleeing from their cars on the road, leaving their vehicles behind.
Some 2,000 hectares of land, mainly forest areas, have burnt so far, the Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) said, and there were photos of charred fields and woodland in Israeli media.
The cause of the fires remains unclear.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that 18 suspects have so far been arrested on charges of arson, according to reports. However, several Israeli media reported that emergency services had arrested a total of three people, citing police sources.
Several people were treated for smoke-related injuries.
Jerusalem's district fire department commander, Shmulik Friedman, called the group of fires 'perhaps the largest' in the country's history.
After a heatwave, temperatures have dropped, but strong winds are expected later Thursday, raising fears of renewed flare-ups, according to the Israeli weather service.
Israel has experienced deadly wildfires in the past, including a 2010 blaze in the northern Carmel mountain range that killed more than 40 people. Fires are common in forests around Jerusalem.
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