Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a heads up on Wednesday about the wildfires near Jerusalem getting closer to the city, calling it a “national emergency”. Thick smoke filled the air above highways by Jerusalem as firefighters hustled to contain the spreading wildfires, causing injuries and leading the military to send troops to assist.
The Magen David Adom rescue agency of Israel reported that hundreds of civilians were in danger due to the most intense brushfires in years. They mentioned treating around 23 people, with 13 of them being taken to the hospital, mostly suffering from smoke inhalation and burns. Among the injured were two pregnant women and two babies under a year old. The alert level was raised to the highest tier, indicating the seriousness of the situation.
Yuval Aharoni, a 40-year-old resident near Modiin, expressed sadness, saying, “It’s just very sad because we knew the weather, we kind of knew that would happen and still we feel like they weren’t ready enough with the big planes that can drop large amounts of water.” Netanyahu, on the other hand, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “The priority right now is defending Jerusalem,” as he warned about the possibility of the fire reaching the city.
The main Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway was closed by the police, and residents along the route were evacuated as the wildfires reignited in an area hit by blazes a week ago. Thousands of people were forced to leave their homes, with communities being emptied out for safety.
Eyal Caspi, the fire chief, mentioned at a press conference that the weather conditions were making it difficult for aircraft to assist in extinguishing the fires. He called it the largest fire Israel has faced in a decade, highlighting the severity of the situation. The police urged the public to avoid traveling to the affected areas as they deployed forces to deal with the crisis.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir hinted at the possibility of arson being the cause behind the fires, mentioning the arrest of a suspect attempting to set fire to a field. However, no official confirmation was made linking the fires to deliberate wrongdoing. Ben Gvir assured that anyone involved in arson would be arrested, while also keeping an eye out for any signs of unrest.
The worsening weather conditions, including high temperatures and strong winds, fueled the rapid spread of the wildfires in wooded areas, leading to evacuations from multiple communities. The Foreign Ministry reached out to neighboring countries for assistance, with plans for aircraft from Italy and Croatia to join the firefighting efforts.
As the situation continued to escalate, Ben Gvir made the tough call to cancel evening events tied to Independence Day celebrations to allocate more resources to combat the fires. The focus remained on ensuring the safety of civilians and preparing for the forecasted weather conditions.
Not really sure why this matters, but it seems like the wildfires near Jerusalem are causing quite a bit of chaos. Maybe it’s just me, but it feels like the authorities weren’t fully prepared for this kind of situation. The urgency of the national emergency is definitely being felt, with lives at risk and communities being evacuated. Let’s hope they can get this under control soon.
