Wildfires blazing near Jerusalem on Wednesday triggered mass evacuations, shut down major routes, and stretched firefighting efforts to the brink as dry conditions and fierce winds fueled the flames.
With the situation escalating rapidly, Israel declared a state of emergency and appealed for international aid to battle what may be the most extensive wildfire in the nation’s history.
“This is perhaps the largest fire ever in the country,” said Shmulik Friedman, Commander of the Jerusalem District Fire Department.
He cautioned that wind speeds surpassing 60 miles per hour are expected soon, a development that could significantly worsen the spread.
The flames forced the closure of Route 1, the main highway linking Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, coinciding with Israel’s Memorial Day.
Footage circulating on social media showed pedestrians trudging along the smoke-choked road as visibility plummeted.
Emergency personnel, in a race against time, combed through rows of deserted vehicles, searching for anyone left behind, according to a video released by the emergency group United Hatzalah.
Authorities say the cause of the fire remains unknown. “We don’t know at this time what caused the fire. We don’t have even a bit of a clue. We are still not dealing with it,” Friedman said. “We are far from control.”
Multiple fronts are currently active, one of which is near the town of Neve Shalom, roughly 15 miles west of Jerusalem. In one video, flames are seen licking the edges of a highway choked with traffic.
Amidst the chaos, police detained a man accused of trying to start another fire.
“Officers from the Jerusalem District arrested a resident of East Jerusalem who was caught in the act of attempting to set fire to a field in the southern part of the city,” the Police Spokesperson’s Unit announced.
“A search of the suspect’s belongings uncovered a lighter, cotton wool, and additional flammable materials,” the statement added. The suspect, reportedly in his fifties, hails from Umm Tuba, a Palestinian Arab neighborhood in East Jerusalem.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar held a series of urgent talks with European nations to secure firefighting aircraft, his office confirmed.
Italy and Macedonia responded, dispatching three planes expected to arrive imminently, according to the National Security Council.
At least ten communities have been cleared out for safety, and Defense Minister Israel Katz called for a unified national response.
“We are in a time of national emergency, and all available forces must be mobilized to save lives and bring the fires under control,” he said.
A thick column of smoke rose above the forested area between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as firefighting crews, numbering around 120, joined 12 aircraft and helicopters in the ongoing battle.
Hospitals in the region are also feeling the strain. Shamir Medical Center and Kaplan Medical Center reported receiving over a dozen patients affected by the fires.
Meanwhile, Hadassah Medical Center urged people to avoid unnecessary visits and began moving stable patients out to make room for new casualties.
The current blaze is burning in nearly the same location as another serious fire just last week.
