By Steven Scheer
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Wildfires due to extreme heat and winds broke out near Jerusalem on Wednesday, forcing the evacuation of communities and the closure of a main highway, as the country was observing Memorial Day and many Israelis visited gravesites.
The main Route 1 Jerusalem to Tel Aviv highway was closed near the fire site and police said three communities had been evacuated.
“Based on assessments of the fire’s spread, the district commander has instructed teams to prepare for the potential evacuation of additional communities, including deploying buses in case they are needed,” the police said in a statement.
TV footage showed fires along the highway and people abandoning cars and running from the fires.
Israel’s Fire and Rescue service said on Tuesday that due to extreme conditions that were increasing the likelihood of fires spreading and developing, it had prohibited the lighting of bonfires through May 7.
Israel’s 77th Independence Day begins tonight and there is a widespread custom to build bonfires and have barbecues. The rescue service said barbecues should only be lit in authorised areas.
Israeli media reported that 120 fire and rescue services had mobilised dozens of firefighting teams, aircraft and helicopters to try to contain the fires. They noted that 12 people were injured from smoke inhalation while Israel has asked at least five countries for help – Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy and Cyprus.
The military’s chief of staff said he had ordered Home Front Command, the Air Force and all IDF units to assist as needed to support the Israeli Police and Fire and Rescue Services.
Search and Rescue forces from the IDF Search and Rescue Brigade and Air Force fire trucks have been assisting in efforts to extinguish the fires in the Jerusalem Hills area and evacuate residents.
Sirens sounded at 0800 GMT on Memorial Day to commemorate fallen soldiers in Israel’s many wars since becoming a state in 1948.
(Reporting by Steven Scheer, editing by Ed Osmond)
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