Jerusalem, Israel – A massive wildfire erupted in the outskirts of Jerusalem on Wednesday, April 30th, leading to the evacuation of residents from several communities. The Israeli government has declared a “national state of emergency” and requested assistance from neighboring countries to help extinguish the flames.
According to media reports, the fire broke out around 9:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday, near a village in the southwest of Jerusalem. Videos on social media showed the rapidly spreading fire, with thick smoke billowing, leading to the closure of a section of Highway 1 from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv in central Israel. Many drivers abandoned their vehicles to escape. As of that evening, wildfires were still raging in multiple areas outside Jerusalem.
The blaze has forced the emergency evacuation of residents, tourists, and staff from several communities and tourist attractions. The Channel 12 television studio in the outskirts of Jerusalem was also evacuated that night.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Israeli Ministry of Defense released a statement declaring the country in a “national state of emergency”. They emphasized the need to focus all available resources on saving lives and containing the fire. Additionally, all Independence Day activities (originally scheduled for May 1st) were canceled to deploy emergency rescue personnel nationwide.
The Israeli Fire and Rescue Department has initiated a “national emergency plan” and raised the alert level to the highest. Approximately 120 fire teams across the country, supported by multiple firefighting aircraft and helicopters, have been dispatched to key areas for firefighting operations. Israeli military personnel have also been mobilized to assist in fire response and personnel evacuation, with aerial support providing real-time imagery of the situation.
The head of the Israeli Fire Department stated that this wildfire may be the largest in the country in recent years, and significant efforts are still needed to fully control it.
The Israeli national emergency medical services organization, Magen David Adom, reported that 23 people have been injured so far, with 13 requiring hospital treatment. Most of them experienced discomfort from inhaling smoke or suffered burns. Fortunately, there have been no reports of casualties at this time.
The Israeli Meteorological Service issued a warning on Wednesday, citing extreme weather conditions such as high temperatures, strong winds, and low humidity, which could further exacerbate the risk of wildfire spread.
Local media reported that the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested emergency firefighting assistance from countries including Greece, Cyprus, Croatia, Italy, and Bulgaria, with international rescue forces expected to arrive as early as Thursday, May 1st.
Local police announced on Wednesday that a man was arrested for allegedly attempting to set fire to an open space in the southern part of Jerusalem. The suspect, a man in his fifties from the Umm Tuba neighborhood in East Jerusalem, was reported by a local resident and captured after a short chase.
The police stated, “We found a lighter, cotton, and other flammable materials on the suspect. He has been detained and is undergoing questioning.”