Fires that swept across vast sections of central Israel since Wednesday have largely been brought under control, according to the nation’s Fire and Rescue Authority.
The firefighting efforts, which involved over 150 teams, have managed to subdue the flames that burned approximately 20 sq km (7.7 sq miles) of land in the Latrun area – situated between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
So far, Israel’s ambulance service has reported treating at least 12 individuals for smoke inhalation, fortunately with no casualties recorded. Seventeen firefighters sustained injuries as per Israeli broadcaster Kan.
The challenging control of fires was attributed to the hot and dry weather conditions accompanied by strong winds. A senior official expressed concerns that the fires could rekindle.
Shlomi Harush, a deputy commander of Ayalon fire station with 24 years of service, stated that this was one of the toughest fires he had encountered.
In response to the blazes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a national emergency, prompting hundreds of people to evacuate their homes. However, the evacuation order for 12 towns near Jerusalem has since been lifted.
Countries such as France, Italy, and Spain dispatched aircraft to provide assistance in combating the emergency.
The fires resulted in the suspension of most events celebrating Israel’s Independence Day on Thursday, and a nationwide ban was imposed on lighting fires for barbecues, a traditional part of the day.
The major highway connecting Jerusalem and Tel Aviv has now reopened. Earlier this week, videos showed individuals abandoning their cars as flames and smoke engulfed the road.
Israeli authorities have provided contradictory explanations for the cause of the fires. While Israeli president Isaac Herzog attributed the fires to the climate crisis, Prime Minister Netanyahu blamed arsonists and stated that 18 individuals had been arrested. However, the police later clarified that only three suspects are in detention, and they are not linked to the wildfires.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g2vlewj09o
