Large fire rages near central city of Modiin, Neot Kedumim reserve

A large fire was raging near the central city of Modiin on Saturday and threatening a nearby national park, fire and rescue services said.

The fire started near Mitkan Adam, an IDF military base about 11 kilometers (7 miles) north of the city and strong winds were helping the fire spread toward the nearby Neot Kedumim nature reserve.

There were 21 firefighting teams from the fire services and the Jewish National Fund battling the blaze, along with four airplanes and a helicopter, the fire service said.

The fire services said they were focusing most of their efforts on preventing the blaze from reaching the park, which houses the Biblical Landscape Reserve.

A fire in the area in 2019 almost completely destroyed Mevo Modi’im, a community of some 250 people nestled into the Ben Shemen forest.

Firefighters said there was currently no danger to property and no reports of casualties.

It was not immediately clear what caused the fire, which comes as Israel grapples with a heatwave.