IDF Called in to Battle Flames as Wildfires Rage Near Jerusalem
Ahmad Gharabli / AFP via Getty
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) joined the battle against a series of wildfires near Jerusalem on Wednesday as high winds drove the blazes toward major roads and population centers, with people forced to evacuate.
The Times of Israel reported:
Large brushfires were blazing Wednesday in the Eshtaol Forest on the outskirts of Jerusalem, forcing the evacuations of some communities and the closure of roads.
It was the second time in the space of a week that fires in the hills to the west of the capital have led to the evacuation of residents.
The Fire and Rescue Service reported fires were raging in at least five places in the Jerusalem hills.
Posts on social media showed the fire advancing on the outskirts of Jerusalem, as residents abandoned cars.
No injuries were reported, other than smoke inhalation, though the fires interrupted ceremonies marking Israel’s annual Yom Hazikaron, or Memorial Day, which commemorates fallen soldiers throughout the years.
Israel asked several nearby countries — Cyprus, Croatia, Italy, and Greece — for help in battling the blazes. Israeli firefighters frequently assist other countries, and flew to California to help firefighters in January.
It was not immediately clear what had started the blazes, though past wildfires have been caused by arson. In high winds and with dry conditions, any blaze — deliberate or accidental — can be incredibly destructive.
Update: Israel’s Army Radio quoted officials who stated that the fires began at 9:30 a.m. and had the potential to become a major event, with a “long night” ahead. Firefighters from Greece landed in Israel.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days, available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency, now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
Source link