Fires rage around Jerusalem as Israel calls for international assistance
Firefighters in Israel are battling what authorities said might be the largest wildfire in the country's history, which has so far forced the evacuation of seven communities and burnt nearly 2,500 hectares of land. Dozens have been injured in the blazes which began on Wednesday morning and are concentrated in the hills surrounding Jerusalem. Some drivers who were forced to abandon their cars on motorways were among the injured. All roads have been reopened and authorities allowed evacuated residents to return late on Thursday morning, but firefighters say the situation is still not under control. 'We are amid a very large wildfire, maybe the largest there has ever been in this country,' said Shmulik Friedman, the commander in charge of firefighting in the Jerusalem area. 'Our activity will continue for a very long time. We are far from having control.' By Thursday afternoon, 76 fire and rescue teams were operating in five areas. At least 10 firefighting aircraft were involved. Authorities said that a Cypriot helicopter had arrived to join firefighting operations in the Jerusalem Mountains area, and that a total of eight aircraft were expected to arrive from Cyprus and Italy on Thursday. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on X that he had spoken to the foreign ministers of Argentina, Spain and the UK, among others, about providing aircraft to help fight the fires. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed 'full solidarity with the Israeli people facing terrible fires' and said Paris was ready to provide assistance 'in the coming hours'. President Isaac Herzog said the wildfires were in part the result of climate change. Intense, dry heat and high winds have also been blamed. A number of events for Israel's Independence Day have been cancelled. Authorities have banned people from visiting parks and forests, and from lighting fires in public places. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the fires could 'easily' reach the outskirts of Jerusalem or even the city itself. Speaking at an event in Jerusalem later on Thursday, Mr Netanyahu said 18 people had been arrested on suspicion of arson. Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that only three people had been arrested in connection with the possible lighting of fires. Authorities are yet to determine the cause of the fires. On Wednesday evening, Israel's police arrested a 50-year-old resident of East Jerusalem on suspicion of attempted arson. Police said he was found with a lighter and flammable materials. The Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the occupied West Bank, offered to help in the firefighting effort, as has happened in previous instances. Many of the affected areas border Palestinian territory, where an Israeli military presence and a lack of resources could hamper any emergency response. Mr Friedman on Thursday voiced concerns that 'the winds will strengthen and the fire will return'. 'We will need to continue working at least until Saturday,' he said. Fire and Rescue commissioner Eyal Caspi said on Wednesday evening that the firefighting effort was hampered by the weather, which stopped planes from being used at first. 'Humidity is extremely low. We invested tremendous efforts in the Latrun fire and several firefighters were injured,' he added. Brother Daniel from the Latrun Monastery told The National that his community was forced to flee on Wednesday afternoon to a nearby monastery in Abu Gosh and to Jerusalem. Normally, the Catholic monks spend most of the day in strict silence and make a living from selling olive oil, wine and other products. 'Thank God our buildings were not affected, but our olive groves have been partly burnt, our vineyards a bit as well. We can replant and replace all this, the most important is that we are able to continue to our vocations here,' said Brother Daniel. 'The most difficult thing was seeing property we invested a lot of time in being burnt, but it's what God decreed. What is touching is seeing how many people are supporting us, calling us, offering us help. 'It shows us that we need to stay loyal to this place and our vocation,' he added. 'From what I can remember, we once had a fire in the cellar but that must have been some 30 years ago. This is the first time fire has really affected our property.'
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The National
02-05-2025
- The National
Fires around Jerusalem West Bank largely contained
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The National
02-05-2025
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Israel fires largely contained after mass evacuations
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Gulf News
02-05-2025
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Israel brings fire near Jerusalem 'under control', reopens roads
Firefighters battled through the night to contain the largest fire in a decade Last updated: AFP Bushfires that erupted near Jerusalem were largely brought under control on Thursday, authorities said, with major roads reopened and firefighting teams still tackling lingering hotspots. The blaze ignited along the main Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway on Wednesday, prompting widespread evacuations and road closures as firefighters battled through the night to contain what officials have called the largest fire in a decade. "The fire is under control," said Shlomi Harush, a senior official with the firefighting service. "There are only hotspots left... all teams remain deployed across the affected areas," he told AFP, warning that strong winds could still reignite the flames. According to an AFP journalist on the scene, smoke continued to rise near a monastery in Latrun, approximately 25 kilometres (15.5 miles) from Jerusalem, as firefighters sprayed water on smouldering embers. Civilians also came out to help douse the fire. "We used water hoses connected to homes and municipal taps installed along the streets," Ahmad Ibrahim, a resident of Abu Ghosh village, told AFP. "We acted out of concern for the community, trying to stop the fire from spreading and endangering residents or their homes." The fire service reported that 163 ground crews and 12 aircraft had been mobilised to fight the blaze, which has scorched an estimated 13,000 hectares of forest, according to police. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had warned late Wednesday that the flames could reach Jerusalem, declaring the situation a "national emergency". Police confirmed on Thursday that all major routes, including the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv corridor, had been reopened. "All routes have been reopened to traffic," they said in a statement, adding that residents of the evacuated Mavo Horon settlement had been allowed to return. Authorities were also instructed to expedite the return of other displaced residents. While several Independence Day events scheduled for Wednesday evening were cancelled, celebrations resumed on Thursday despite the ongoing firefighting operations. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has hinted that arson may be behind the fires. The Times of Israel reported that Netanyahu told a function in Jerusalem on Thursday that authorities were "holding 18 people at the moment who are suspected of arson, one of whom was caught in the act". While wildfires are not unheard of in Israel this time of year in the past, they are not considered a regular occurrence. Rescue agency Magen David Adom said it treated 23 people on Wednesday, mostly for smoke inhalation and burns. Seventeen firefighters were injured, according to public broadcaster Kan. The Israeli military said its personnel were helping in Jerusalem and other central districts. Engineering vehicles were deployed "to form lines to prevent the fire from spreading," the company said in a statement. The air force was also assisting, and around 50 firetrucks were dispatched. Fanned by strong winds, the fires spread rapidly through wooded areas on Wednesday, prompting evacuations from at least five communities, police said. "It's just very sad because we knew the weather, we kind of knew that would happen, and still we feel like they weren't ready enough with the big planes that can drop large amounts of water," evacuee Yuval Aharoni, 40, told AFP on Wednesday. "A lot of police arrived, a lot of firefighters, but it didn't really help. The fire had already completely taken over the whole area here," student Yosef Aaron said from the side of a highway, flames visible in the distance. Late Wednesday, the foreign ministry said firefighting aircraft were expected to arrive from Croatia, France, Italy, Romania and Spain to join the operation. Cyprus and Serbia also announced they were sending firefighting helicopters to Israel.
