In Israel, fires continue near Jerusalem but several roads have been reopened

Several roads closed due to fires reopened Thursday 1^is May in Israel, where firefighters were still fighting against fire that has been raging since the day before in Jerusalem. Fires broke out on Wednesday along the highway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, forcing the police to cut several main axes and to evacuate thousands of inhabitants. According to firefighters, 163 teams remained mobilized, supported by 12 planes.

Magen David Adom’s rescue service announced that they had treated 23 people on Wednesday, most of whom suffered from burns or inhaled from smoke. Among them were two pregnant women and two infants under 1 year old, according to the MDA. Seventeen firefighters were injured, Kan public television said.

The firefighters fought throughout the night to control the fire. “All the roads have been reopened to traffic”Police said in a statement on Thursday morning. Prime Minister, Benyamin Netanyahu, said “The national emergency” By warning that the fires could spread to the city of Jerusalem. Soldiers had been deployed on Wednesday in reinforcement, and several ceremonies of the national day of independence canceled.

Wooded areas swept by fire

The army announced Thursday that soldiers remained deployed in Jerusalem and other sectors of the center of Israel. “During the night, dozens of vehicles were set up across the country by forming lines to prevent the fire from expanding”said the army in a statement. Aviation “Continue to participate in efforts in order to turn off the lights”added the army, stating that it had sent around fifty fire trucks to the affected areas.

A journalist from the France-Presse agency in the center of Israel, saw wooded areas swept by fire on Wednesday near the main road connecting Latroun to Bet Shemesh, while helicopters were trying to extinguish the flames. The lights spread quickly due to high temperatures and strong winds.

On Wednesday evening, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that fire -fighting planes were expected in reinforcement from France, Romania, Croatia, Italy and Spain.