Israel has raised its emergency alert to the highest level and appealed for international assistance as fast-spreading wildfires erupted in the hills west of Jerusalem on Wednesday.
Footage shared on social media showed drivers fleeing on foot as flames and thick black smoke loomed in the distance.
The Fire and Rescue Services stated that approximately 120 teams from across the country, supported by firefighting planes and helicopters, were deployed to contain the flames, with another 22 teams en route.
Five communities were evacuated, and others were instructed to prepare for possible evacuation. A section of the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway was closed by the police.
The Magen David Adom medical emergency service said in a statement that medics were treating 12 people for mild smoke inhalation, including two babies.
Fire and Rescue Authority Commissioner Eyal Caspi said he had activated the fire service’s national emergency plans and raised the alert level to its highest, Xinhua news agency reported. “Following a situational assessment, firefighting teams were being mobilized from all districts nationwide,” he said.
Eyal Cohen, Deputy Commander of the Jerusalem District of the Fire and Rescue Authority, stated that Israel had requested firefighting assistance from its regional neighbors. State-owned Kan TV reported that the countries include Greece, Cyprus, Croatia, and Italy.
The Israel Defense Forces stated that the military has deployed forces for firefighting and evacuation, adding that “aerial support has also been deployed to provide a real-time operational picture.”
Unseasonably high temperatures of around 35 degrees Celsius, combined with wind gusts of up to 70 km/h, were fanning the flames and complicating firefighting efforts, officials said.
As Israel marks Memorial Day for fallen soldiers from sunset, April 29, to nightfall, April 30 this year, ceremonies at the Latrun Armored Corps Memorial were cancelled due to the wildfire. The Defence Ministry urged the public to avoid traveling to military cemeteries, where tens of thousands are expected to gather for commemorative events.
–IANS
