Israel Hit by Massive Fire, Tel Aviv – Jerusalem Route Closed, Residents Abandon Cars on the Road

JERUSALEM, detak24com – Forest fires in several areas of Israel have resulted in the main route of Jerusalem – Tel Aviv being closed. Residents were forced to abandon their cars on the road and run away from the smoke, Wednesday (04/30/25).

Israel has also declared a national emergency due to the fire and Israel is seeking assistance from other countries to extinguish the fire. A number of residents near the fire location were evacuated.

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“This is probably the biggest fire ever in this country,” said Jerusalem District Fire Department Commander Shmulik Friedman as reported by CNN.

He warned that winds of more than 60 miles per hour were expected in the near future. The wind will increase the risk of fire.

The fire forced authorities to close Route 1, the main road connecting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Wednesday. Videos from social media showed people walking along the highway with thick smoke filling the air.

According to a report from the Israeli occupation’s Broadcasting Authority, instructions have been issued to evacuate the illegal settlements of Mevo Horon and Mishmar Ayalon, due to fears of a forest fire spreading. It was also reported that the Israeli occupation has contacted Cyprus, Greece, Croatia and Italy, requesting assistance in the form of firefighting aircraft.

The fire was reported to have approached armored tanks belonging to the Israeli occupation army, increasing the risk of the fire.

At least 12 people suffered from asphyxiation due to the thick smoke from the fire, and the Israeli ambulance service raised its alert level to high in anticipation of a possible escalation.

Officers are combing through cars, according to a video from United Hatzalah, an emergency response organization. During the search, officers run between long lines of abandoned cars on the highway.

“We don’t know what caused the fire at this time. We have no clue. We are still not in control,” Friedman said. “We are far from under control.”

The fires broke out in several areas, including around the town of Neve Shalom, located about 15 miles west of Jerusalem. A video circulating showed flames burning next to a road along a busy highway.

Israeli police said they had arrested a suspect who was trying to light a fire in an open field. “Officers from the Jerusalem District arrested an East Jerusalem resident who was caught red-handed while trying to set fire to a field in the southern part of the city,” the police spokesman’s unit said in a statement on Wednesday.

At a press conference in the Eshtaol community, Jerusalem District Fire and Rescue Service commander Shmulik Friedman warned that the fire in the Jerusalem hills was likely the largest ever in the country. The fire has not yet been extinguished.

He noted that the fire broke out near Mesilat Zion, near Beit Shemesh, at around 9:30 a.m. The fire was quickly carried westward by strong winds before shifting eastward. “We are still far from being able to control it,” he was quoted as saying by the Times of Israel. He warned that the fires could continue to worsen, as winds were expected to pick up and reach speeds of up to 90-100 kilometers per hour (56-62 mph). (Red)

Editor : kar