JERUSALEM, Israel – Firefighters in Israel are battling a major blaze near Jerusalem that has already forced some local residents to evacuate their homes.
The fire began in the hills surrounding Jerusalem on Mount Haruach and quickly spread to the communities of Ma’ale Hahamisha, Abu Ghosh, and Neve Ilan. The fire reportedly spread to nearby Mount Eitan.
UPDATE AND CALL FOR PRAYER: A massive fire is threatening homes in an Arab town and a community where many believers live. “The fire is closing in on homes in Abu Ghosh and Yad Hashmona,” the fire authority said. pic.twitter.com/qMqeXm0kJW
— All Israel News (@all_israel_news) June 9, 2021
Israel’s fire service says the blaze began in the afternoon and promoted 29 teams of firefighters and 10 planes to try and put out the fire. So far, they have been unsuccessful at containing the flames.
One local resident who lives in the Judean hills described what he saw.
“I raced toward the fire to see what was happening,” he told the Walla news site. “There was a large flame and smoke… when I got closer I was scared it would reach me and I quickly turned around. It very quickly became a huge fire.”
The fire forced roads and highways to close, including a section of the Route 1 highway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
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