Homes evacuated as forest fire threatens Jerusalem suburb

A huge forest fire raging Wednesday near the Jerusalem suburb of Mevaseret Zion prompted firefighters to evacuate homes in its path, the Israel Fire and Rescue Services said.

Strong, hot, dry winds fanned the flames toward residential buildings on Oren Street and firefighters, together with police and municipal officials, told local residents to leave their homes, a statement said.

The fire was also alongside Highway 1, the main route from the capital to Tel Aviv and the central region.

There were no reports of injuries.

Ten firefighter crews were brought in from the capital and the town of Beit Shemesh to tackle the blaze, which began in a stream bed adjacent to the community. Firefighting aircraft were also deployed to douse the flames.

Unusually dry, windy conditions have sparked fires across the country this week. There were no injuries reported in the rash of fires.

On Monday a section of Route 6, a major north-south toll road, was closed for around three hours due to a fire that spread to both sides of the highway in the area of Harish, in the northern Haifa district of the country. The closure caused long tailbacks until firefighters, with the assistance of firefighting aircraft, gained control of the flames and the road was reopened.