A huge fire broke out in a forest next to the Beit Meir moshav, near Jerusalem, just off the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway, on Sunday, causing a huge black cloud to hover over Jerusalem.
A large number of firefighting forces and ten aircraft are struggling to subdue the fire which is spreading rapidly due to strong winds. According to a fire commander, this is the biggest fire in the Jerusalem hills in years.
About 10,000 people, residents of six communities, including Beit Meir and the nearby areas of Givat Ye’arim, Ramat Raziel, Ksalon, Shoresh and Sho’eva have been evacuated from their homes. Security forces are also evacuating all patients and staff members at the Eitanim psychiatric hospital, located near Jerusalem in the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council.
One elderly woman from Givat Ye’arim was evacuated to the hospital due to smoke inhalation.
The fire has reportedly set homes ablaze in the community of Ramat Raziel.
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Benny Gantz has ordered the IDF to assist firefighters in battling the massive blaze, and PM Bennett has ended his weekly cabinet early to deal with the fire.
This black smoke was seen over the Kosel as well (See video below)
שריפה בהרי ירושלים: תושבי בית מאיר, רמת רזיאל וקריית יערים מפונים מבתיהםhttps://t.co/htaKRnI4SD
(צילום: עומרי אלבני) pic.twitter.com/OxetGybM3H
— חדשות 13 (@newsisrael13) August 15, 2021
השריפה בהרי יהודה
צילום: ניתאי זכריה יערן קק״ל. pic.twitter.com/RHP0FtGFeb— ישראל היום (@IsraelHayomHeb) August 15, 2021
ערוץ הטלגרם של 'חדשות הסקופים' עם תיעוד ענק של השרפה בהרי י-ם – הלהבות בהרים ופטריית העשן שנראית מביתר עילית.
לצפייה בתיעודים: https://t.co/q7V8TlCvUi pic.twitter.com/KWZ48hqY6q
— חדשות הסקופים. (@Haskupim) August 15, 2021
Additonal teams are on the way to assist the firefighting efforts.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
5 Responses
i live in betar and i see the smoke out my window
Givat Yearim is under evacuation order.
Telse Stone, or Kiryat Yearim, is not at this time.
That’s what happens, when 20% of a countries population are outright enemies of the state and constitute a fifth column, no other country would tolerate this untenable situation.
As the Arab Muslim population will grow things will go from bad to worse, and the handwriting is on the wall for all to see, it will end up in a very bloody civil war.
There is only one way to a avoid this unavoidable catastrophe, “THEY ALL MUST GO”
They haven’t yet said that it’s arson or only human error.
Maybe it’s the chillul shabbos and gay parades causing it.