Firefighting teams continued battling large wildfires across the Jerusalem Hills on Thursday morning, with 119 crews deployed across 11 active fronts in a race to contain the flames and protect nearby communities.
The fire has yet to be fully brought under control, but emergency officials report progress in containment efforts. The Israel Fire and Rescue Services announced that air support is now playing a key role, with 10 firefighting planes, including aircraft from the "Elad" squadron, conducting sorties to create firebreaks between the advancing blaze and residential areas. An additional eight planes from Cyprus and Italy are expected to arrive later today.
Video: Footage from a Shimshon aircraft assisting in wildfire containment efforts // Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson
The areas affected by the fires include Shaar Hagai, Mesilat Zion, Nataf, Yad Hashmona, Neve Ilan, Mevo Horon, Canada Park, the corridor from Anava to Latrun, Neve Shalom, the Burma Road to Eshtaol Forest, Beit Meir, and Shoresh. Evacuations were carried out in Shaar Hagai, Mesilat Zion, Beit Meir, Shoresh, Neve Ilan, Yad Hashmona, and Nataf.
Firefighting efforts remain particularly intense in the areas around Beit Meir and Shoresh.
Video: Many travelers were trapped between the flames on Highway 1 // Johnny Dov
Following an overnight assessment, police advised residents of Mevo Horon that it is now safe to return home and resume normal routines. Meanwhile, Highway 1, Highway 3, and Route 38 – all previously closed due to the fire threat – have been reopened to traffic.
Firefighters managed to gain control overnight over the blaze in Canada Park, although isolated hotspots remain. Authorities have urged the public to avoid entering the park despite the fire no longer posing a direct threat to nearby communities.
Since the fires broke out on Wednesday morning, at least 17 people have suffered injuries from smoke inhalation and minor trauma, including two toddlers. Two firefighters were evacuated to the hospital. The Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh) reported that three victims remain hospitalized while nine others were discharged.
