Firefighters battle blaze in J’lem UN compound

Five firefighting crews battled a blaze that erupted in the United Nations compound in Jerusalem Saturday evening. Israel Fire Services said four vehicles caught fire in the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood of the capital.

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but firefighters think they might have been started by sparks blowing over from Lag B’Omer bonfires being held in a nearby field.

Fires erupted all across Israel Saturday caused by dry and windy weather and human carelessness.

Two people were lightly injured in a forest fire in a park outside of Modiin, and residents of Almagor in the Golan Heights were briefly ordered to evacuate their homes because of approaching flames.

In light of the extremely dry and windy weather conditions, Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich ordered to raise the national alert level and reinforce firefighting crews across the country.

Saturday night marks the Jewish holiday of Lag B’Omer, which is traditionally celebrated by lighting bonfires. The firefighting services have urged the public to practice caution.