Israel has declared a national emergency and sent armed personnel to tackle a large wildfire raging near Jerusalem.
The conflagration has caused the shutdown of the main route connecting the city to Tel Aviv, the country’s economic and technological core.
To ensure that emergency services are fully operational, authorities have canceled all Independence Day celebrations scheduled for Thursday.
Defence Minister Israel Katz referred to the fire, which is centred in areas southwest of Jerusalem, as a “national emergency.”
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed a general mobilization was underway, reports UNB.
Eyal Caspi, head of the Israel National Fire and Rescue Authority, told reporters it would take at least 24 hours to bring the fire under control.
The wildfire spread rapidly due to high temperatures, strong winds, and abnormally dry vegetation following a mild winter.
Four communities — Nahshon, Ezor Latrun, Neve Shalom, and Mesilat Zion — along the affected highway are being evacuated.
The national ambulance service, Magen David Adom, reported treating 22 people for injuries, although no deaths have been reported.
In a bid for international support, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has reached out to his counterparts in Cyprus, Croatia, Italy, and Greece to request firefighting aircraft.
Israeli military rescue teams and air force reconnaissance planes are already aiding in the firefighting efforts.
Officials have also urged the public to refrain from visiting cemeteries on Wednesday, a Memorial Day tradition, due to the ongoing emergency.
