Many Independence Day events nixed, public told to avoid cemeteries amid raging wildfires
Official torch-lighting ceremony called off, rehearsal footage being aired instead; flames encroach on decommissioned tanks at Latrun after Memorial Day ceremony hastily evacuated
Organizers of the annual Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony were forced to announce its cancellation on Wednesday, as many events were called off due to the risk posed by strong winds and rapidly spreading brush fires in the Jerusalem hills area west of the capital.
At the same time, families marking Memorial Day with visits to cemeteries in the Jerusalem area also had their plans disrupted, as the Defense Ministry urged them to avoid the area due to the out-of-control flames.
The fires in the Esthaol Forest erupted in the early afternoon and spread rapidly, as a heatwave accompanied by strong winds made it difficult for firefighters to bring the blaze under control.
In total, 105 firefighting teams were on the ground and 12 firefighting planes were battling blazes from above in the Jerusalem area by late Wednesday afternoon, most of them concentrated around five hotspots: Neve Shalom, Latrun Interchange, Latrun, Mesilat Zion and Canada Park.
After a memorial ceremony at the Latrun military memorial was interrupted by an evacuation order, the Defense Ministry put out a statement urging the public to refrain from visiting cemeteries in the Jerusalem area due to the risks posed by the spreading fires.
Footage captured from Latrun showed thick smoke and flames closing in around decommissioned tanks situated at the Yad Lashiryon Armored Corps Memorial Site and Museum. In the foreground, rows of plastic chairs were set up for a since-abandoned Memorial Day ceremony.
Footage shows flames engulfing Yad La-Shiryon at Latrun, Israel’s official memorial site for fallen soldiers, as fires rage along the Route 1 highway, April 30, 2025. (X; used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
The Defense Ministry later issued a second, broader statement, urging the avoidance of all cemeteries across the country due to the worsening weather conditions.
Citing assessments from the Israel Meteorological Service, the ministry warned of the risk posed by falling structures and equipment set up for various Memorial Day ceremonies.
As it became clear that conditions were likely to remain unfavorable, Transportation Minister Miri Regev, who oversees the Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony each year, announced that she had decided to cancel the event.
“I just concluded a situational assessment with the safety officials,” said Regev. “There is potential for serious damage and risk to human life. My decision is unequivocal — not to take any risk.”
The possibility of canceling the ceremony was first discussed on Tuesday evening, Hebrew media had reported, with organizers agreeing that it would not be able to proceed as planned if winds reached 70 kilometers per hour (45 mph).
The annual ceremony on Mount Herzl is a pivotal event marking the emotional transition from Memorial Day to Independence Day, from mourning to celebration.
Instead, organizers decided to broadcast footage from Monday’s general rehearsal.
The last-minute decision to air the rehearsal footage was not without issues, however, as two of the torch bearers, former hostage Eli Sharabi and 84-year-old new immigrant Shekoufeh “Chicki” Elghanian, were not present at the rehearsal and thus did not get to light torches despite being selected.
“Eli Sharabi was abroad during the rehearsal due to his work to return the hostages, and Chicki was not feeling well that evening,” Regev said, confirming their absence. “We will give them the respect they deserve tonight through the words of the presenters.”
Speaking to Ynet, Eli Sharabi’s brother Sharon acknowledged that it was a shame Eli wouldn’t be seen at the torch-lighting ceremony in the end, but said that “he did very important things in London, no less important than carrying the torch.”
In addition to the two missing torchbearers — which brings the total number down to 33 — Ynet reported that there may be technical errors with the broadcast, as the recording of the dress rehearsal was not intended to be seen by audiences, and so was not filmed with the viewer experience in mind.
Later Wednesday, local municipalities began to similarly announce that they were suspending their own Independence Day festivities due to the risks posed by the weather conditions.
The cities and localities that canceled their events included Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Ashkelon, Modiin, Beersheba, Mevasseret Zion, Lod, Ariel, Ma’aleh Adumim, Kiryat Ono and many others.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum also announced that following an assessment with the relevant authorities, it had decided to cancel a rally planned for this evening at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv.
“While the families of the hostages greatly appreciate the intention of thousands of people to come to the square to stand alongside them, the safety of participants comes first,” it said.
Later Wednesday, the decision was taken out of the hands of local event organizers, as the Fire and Rescue Service, in coordination with the National Security Ministry, said that all localities had been instructed to cancel any events that required the presence of firefighting teams.
“The decision is intended to free up forces to deal with the fires, reinforce the firefighting teams in the Jerusalem area, and prepare for worsening weather conditions, in accordance with the forecasts,” they said.
While the decision to move the official Independence Day ceremony online was a last-minute one, it was not unheard of, as other ceremonies in recent years have been held without a live audience.
Last year, when the nation marked the first Independence Day since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault, alternative torch-lighting ceremonies were held in several Gaza border communities and military bases harmed in the attack. The state event was pre-recorded for broadcast on Independence Day eve.
In 2020, the ceremony was held without an audience for the first time in Israel’s history, due to strict guidelines intended to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2012, organizers had similarly weighed canceling the torch-lighting ceremony, after an IDF officer was killed and seven others were injured by a lighting rig during a rehearsal. They ultimately decided to proceed as normal.
Charlie Summers contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.