Fires in Israel force evacuations, drivers flee cars
Police evacuated several central towns and motorists were forced to abandon their vehicles on Wednesday as multiple brush fires spread rapidly, fueled by soaring temperatures and strong winds.
Eshtaol, Beit Meir and Mesilat Zion were cleared of residents as a result of the blaze in the Beit Shemesh area, and police shut down Route 38, a key traffic artery from the area to Jerusalem, News.Az reports citing The Times of Israel.
The fire initially fire broke out close to Moshav Tarum near the central city. Strong winds whipped up the flames as teams fought the blaze on the ground with support from aircraft. Police asked the public to exercise caution and stay away from the affected areas.
There was smoke in the air in Jerusalem, apparently from the fire some 25 kilometers away, causing air quality levels to plummet.
The Fire and Rescue Authority enlisted firefighters from six districts to quash the flames, and the IDF also joined the battle against the fires.
Around 110 squads of firefighters, eight firefighting planes and a helicopter were working to extinguish the conflagrations north of Beit Shemesh.
In addition, fire engines belonging to the Israeli Air Force and Technological and Logistics Directorate operated alongside the Fire and Rescue Service and Israel Police.
An IAF aircraft also assisted with building an “aerial picture” of the fire while members of the Home Front Command were dispatched to assist with evacuating civilians from areas under threat.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu headed to the ad hoc command center set up by the Fire and Rescue Services to take part in a situational assessment.
A police spokesman said that the fires were spreading north in the direction of Route 1. Officers were scanning for hikers in areas threatened by the brush fires.
Meanwhile, flames from a second, separate blaze neared Route 6, a major highway, forcing police to close the road near the towns of Petahia and Pedaya.
Footage on social media showed crowds of people walking along the highway near Rehovot surrounded by heavy smoke.
Twenty-five firefighting teams were taking part in the efforts to battle the flames in those areas, according to the Fire and Rescue Services.
Train services were halted in the area as flames neared the tracks.
The Israel Meteorological Service had warned of “extreme” weather on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the potential for record-breaking temperatures.
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