In alert state the rescue services have been set Israelafter the outbreak of many devastating fires, especially in the west of Jerusalemwhich resulted in injuring dozens of people and evacuating many communities.
“We are perhaps faced with the biggest fire in Israel for a decade,” Eyal Caspi, the leader of the Fire Service, said today (30.04.2025), informing the journalists. Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the army to grow to contain rapidly moving fronts due to heavy winds and high temperatures. He even spoke of a “national urgent situation in Jerusalem”.
Magen David Antiom ambulance service (MDA) said first aid to at least 23 people who were slightly injured and had been put in a state of high alarm.
Police closed the highway connecting Jerusalem with Tel Aviv and evacuated communities along this road axis. A fire broke out in the same area a week ago.
“We are in a national urgent state and all the available forces need to be mobilized to save lives and control the fires,” Katz said.
In the afternoon, the first soldiers arrived on the fiery fronts, said a French agency journalist who was there and saw them helping to remove people trapped on roads, drowned in dense, black smoke clouds.
At least five communities were evacuated about 30 kilometers west of Jerusalem, police said.
The flames are burnt down the woods near the road that connects the beetle with Beet Seas. Many drivers left their vehicles in the middle of the road and escaped on foot. There are many water helicopters in the area.
Ambulances have grown near the communities that are closer to the fires and are ready to intervene if needed, one MDA rescuer, Saar Sai, explained. A group of motorcyclists were sent to help as many people trapped on the roads, he added.
The Minister of National Security Italmar Ben Gvir, who oversees the extinguishing work, visited areas where the fires are raging. In one video he said that efforts are being made to provide assistance to trapped residents.
– own news (@stessnews) April 30, 2025
In a statement shortly thereafter, the minister implied that fires could be the result of criminal activity. Police announced that a resident of East Jerusalem was arrested while trying to set fire to “in a field, south of the city”.
The impressive images of devastating fires west of Jerusalem! pic.twitter.com/qloq5HUqyF
— Mudib2035 (@mudib2035) April 30, 2025
“Police will continue their efforts to arrest those involved in terrorist incendiary acts,” Ben Gvir added.
The Municipality of Jerusalem announced that all the events scheduled for today are canceled, on the occasion of the national holiday of Israel’s independence.
Netanyan warning
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned tonight of the risk of spreading fires in the city of Jerusalem.
“The western wind could easily push the flames to suburbs on the outskirts (of Jerusalem) or even the city itself,” Netanyahu said in a video released by the prime minister’s office.
The fiery fronts on the hills around Jerusalem fired because of the strong winds, despite the mobilization of powerful fire and the army.