Wildfire near Jerusalem could reach the city, says Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu as he calls it a ‘national emergency’

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday warned that the wildfires spreading near Jerusalem could reach the city. He declared the situation as a ‘national emergency’.The wildfire shut the main highway linking Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on Wednesday, turning the skies over Jerusalem gray and sending at least a dozen people to the hospital.
Video footage showed vehicles stranded nearby as flames spread throughout the area, while another video showed the fire approaching a Catholic monastery.
“The western wind can push the fire easily towards the outskirts of (Jerusalem) — and even into the city itself,” he warned, news agency AFP reported.He said as many fire engines as possible need to be brought in to create firebreaks well beyond the current fire lines. He said this is not just a local emergency, but a national one and the priority is to defend Jerusalem.

The fire was being whipped up by strong winds and hot, dry weather. The cause was being investigated. Help was on the way from across the region, including aircraft from Italy, Croatia and North Macedonia, Israeli officials said.

Helicopters were dropping water to battle the flames from above, while other firefighting teams were responding on ATVs.

“We hope to reach 150 firefighting teams,” Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said.

The fire occurred as Israel observes Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of attacks, ahead of Independence Day on Thursday. Many of the planned events were being canceled, including the official national ceremony in Jerusalem. The event had been set for Mount Herzl, near the fire zone. Instead, a recording of the dress rehearsal was being broadcast.

Those taken for hospital treatment mostly suffered from smoke inhalation, while another 10 people were treated in the field, Magen David Adom Ambulance services said. Residents living close to the fire zone were evacuated, police said.

Officials at the monastery, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, said it was too early to assess the damage, if any. The religious communities had been safely evacuated, they said.

“We pray for the safety of everyone,” their statement said.

As flames advanced towards the Tel Aviv-to-Jerusalem highway, many people abandoned their cars and fled on foot or hitched rides with other vehicles heading in the opposite direction.

In 2010, a massive forest fire burned for four days on northern Israel’s Mount Carmel, claiming 44 lives and destroying around 12,000 acres, much of it woodland.

With inputs from AP