Houses went up in flames, thousands of families had to leave their homes – a forest fire broke out in Israel on Sunday. There is still no all-clear.
Tel Aviv – A forest fire that broke out west of Jerusalem on Sunday continued on Monday afternoon.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett had initially expressed hope that the fire could be brought under control during the day. According to media reports, the police were preparing for a possible evacuation of Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem in the late afternoon. A spokesman for the fire department did not initially comment.
Ten fire-fighting planes also fought the flames from the air throughout the day. According to a spokesman for the fire department, at least 1,700 hectares of land had already been burned on Monday morning. Bennett also said several houses in different towns went up in flames.
According to a report by the army broadcaster, the police assume that the fire was caused by humans. However, it does not necessarily have to be arson, but could also have been caused by carelessness.
According to the police, thousands of families in several locations had to leave their homes and seek safety. While the emergency services in two of the affected villages allowed the residents to return because the danger situation had ended, three locations were not yet released for return. The army had supported the evacuation measures with helicopters.
The environmental protection and health ministries warned of “very high air pollution” in several places near Jerusalem. Among other things, children and pregnant women were asked not to be outdoors if possible. dpa
