TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Israel has been hit by severe wildfires. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared a national state of emergency as a forest fire quickly spread near Jerusalem, marking the worst fire the country has faced in the past ten years. The fire has caused significant damage, casualties, and forced massive evacuations, The Guardian reported.
Netanyahu warned that strong western winds could push the fire towards the outskirts of Jerusalem and potentially engulf the city itself. He emphasized the urgent need for additional firefighting vehicles and the creation of firebreaks far beyond the current fire lines. In a video message, Netanyahu declares a national emergency. His priority is to protect Jerusalem.
As Wednesday night approached, the Jerusalem Fire and Rescue Service commander warned of a prolonged and critical battle against the widespread forest fire on the city's outskirts. The fires, which broke out on Wednesday morning in several locations in the hills around Jerusalem, showed no signs of abating amidst extremely hot weather and strong winds.
How Much Area Has Been Affected?
By nightfall, firefighting had deployed 163 teams in the field and 12 firefighting aircraft to extinguish the flames at various points, including Latrun, Neve Shalom, and the Eshtaol Forest. Additional fires were reported in Mevo Horon, along Jalan Burma near Beit Meir, Mesilat Zion, and a gas station in Sha'ar Hagai. At the same time, dozens of other firefighting units were also extinguishing fires elsewhere in Israel. While dozens of people suffered injuries, none were reported to be in serious condition.
Citing Times of Israel, the Jewish National Fund estimated that approximately 11,700 dunams (about 2,900 hectares) had been scorched, with almost the entire Kanada Park near Latrun destroyed by the fire.
During a press conference in the evacuated village of Eshtaol, Jerusalem District Fire and Rescue Service Chief Shmulik Friedman described the fire as the largest in Israel's history. He explained that the fire began near Mesilat Zion around 9:30 am and spread westward by strong winds before shifting eastward. Friedman emphasized that the fire is still far from being under control and warned that the situation could worsen as winds are expected to increase to speeds of 90-100 kilometers per hour.
What Is the Main Cause of the Fire?
The cause of the fire is still unclear. Friedman stated that the investigation has not yet begun. However, some fires in the area are suspected to be acts of arson. Israel's internal security agency, Shin Bet, is actively investigating the fires in the Jerusalem region and assisting the police in tracking down potential perpetrators.
In one development, the police arrested a 50-year-old man from the Umm Tuba neighborhood in East Jerusalem on suspicion of attempting to ignite vegetation fires in southern Jerusalem. The suspect tried to flee but was apprehended after a brief chase. The police found matches, cotton, and other flammable materials on him.
As the fire spread eastward, authorities ordered evacuations in Neve Ilan, Shoresh, Nataf, and Yad Hashmona, bringing the total number of evacuated communities to ten. Earlier, evacuees from Eshtaol and Mishmar Ayalon were allowed to return to their homes. Major highways, including Route 1 connecting Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Route 3, remained closed day and night.
What Firefighting Efforts Have Been Made by Israel?
Firefighters focused their efforts around Shoresh and the nearby HaMasrek nature reserve, working to contain the active and spreading fire. In an unprecedented move, Channel 12, a leading TV station in Israel, evacuated the Neve Ilan studio amidst a growing blaze. News anchor Danny Kushmaro was relocated to a backup studio in Herzliya.
Outside Jerusalem, 24 firefighting teams and four volunteer units were dispatched to northern Israel to extinguish fires near Afula and Ramat Zvi. Five crews successfully contained a fire near Rumat al-Heib in the Lower Galilee. Twelve teams from the north were sent to the south to aid firefighting efforts in Jerusalem.
With dwindling resources, IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir ordered military support. The Israeli Air Force deployed ground firefighting teams from airbases, while Unit 669 helicopters and a Beechcraft King Air conducted aerial reconnaissance. The heavy transport aircraft, C-130J Super Hercules, known as Shimshon, was also brought in.
Each aircraft can carry up to 18,000 liters (4,755 gallons) of firefighting material. As of Wednesday night, two Super Hercules aircraft had dropped over 25 retardant loads, with a third aircraft soon to follow.
The Home Front Command contributed 70 firefighters, two fire trucks, heavy construction vehicles to clear debris, water tanks, and search and rescue cadets. The Directorate of Technology and Logistics supplied additional fire trucks and over 100,000 liters of water. However, due to challenging weather and nighttime, aerial firefighting was temporarily halted until Thursday morning.
How Many Casualties Are There?
The Magen David Adom (MDA) of Israel's rescue service reported that hundreds of civilians were in danger, with 23 people treated for injuries, including smoke inhalation and burns. Among those hospitalized are two pregnant women and two babies under a year old.
Hospitals are preparing for arriving patients. Hadassah Medical Center in Ein Kerem urged non-critical patients to leave to make room for the victims and advised the public to avoid visits unless necessary. The Ministry of Health continued preparations, including the potential evacuation of most patients except those with complex conditions, who would be moved to upper floors if the fire approached.
Gal Pachis, the head of emergency medicine at Shamir, reported no serious injuries and hoped that most patients would be released soon. Many of the injured come from the Latrun area, which was evacuated earlier for Memorial Day ceremonies. One patient recounted narrowly escaping a vehicle consumed by flames.
In addition, 12 firefighters suffered minor injuries while extinguishing the fire near Jerusalem.
International Assistance
To combat the fire, Israel has requested international assistance by contacting Greece, Cyprus, Croatia, Italy, and Bulgaria. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar also contacted his counterparts in the UK, France, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Argentina, Spain, North Macedonia, and Azerbaijan.
Italy and Croatia responded by sending three "Superscooper" firefighting aircraft, Romania pledged two aircraft (one for firefighting and one for logistics), Spain offered two aircraft, France one, and Cyprus one helicopter.
Other countries, including Ukraine and Ecuador, expressed their willingness to help. The Palestinian Authority offered firefighting teams, but Israel had not responded as of Wednesday night.
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