Israel wildfires flare near Jerusalem for a second day, arson arrests made

Smoke rises as wildfires broke out in central Israel due to extreme heat and strong winds [Jamal Awad/Reuters]

Israel’s firefighting service said 163 ground crews and 12 aircraft were working to contain the flames.

Israeli firefighting teams have been tackling wildfires near Jerusalem for a second day, with police reporting the reopening of several major roads that had been closed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that 18 people have been detained on suspicion of arson, according to Israel’s Arutz Sheva media outlet.

Israel’s fire service says more than 150 firefighting teams are still working to extinguish blazes and 12 aircraft were working to contain the flames.

The fires broke out on Wednesday along the main Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway, prompting police to shut the roads and evacuate thousands of residents from nearby areas.

Rescue agency Magen David Adom said it treated 23 people on Wednesday, mostly for smoke inhalation and burns.

Seventeen firefighters have also been injured, according to Israel’s public broadcaster Kan.

Crews worked through the night, allowing the reopening of main roads, including the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv route, police said.

“All routes have been reopened to traffic,” according to a police statement.

National emergency

Fanned by high temperatures and strong winds, the fires spread rapidly through wooded areas, prompting evacuations from at least five communities, police said.

European countries Italy and Cyprus have dispatched eight firefighting planes to Israel to support its emergency efforts, according to The Times of Israel.

The assistance comes as fires continue to burn in 11 hotspots near Jerusalem, with seven towns still under evacuation, the media outlet said, quoting Israel’s Fire and Rescue Service.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared a “national emergency”, warning the fires could spread into Jerusalem.

The Israeli military said its personnel were helping in Jerusalem and other central districts.

“Overnight, dozens of engineering vehicles started operating throughout the country to form lines to prevent the fire from spreading into other trees,” a military statement said on Thursday.

“The IAF (air force) continues assisting in the effort to extinguish the fires,” it said.

Source: News Agencies