Fire Contained in Jerusalem Hills After 24 Hours, Investigation Underway
After more than 24 hours of firefighting efforts, the massive blaze that engulfed the hills west of Jerusalem has been brought under control, Israel’s Fire and Rescue Service announced Friday. While containment has been achieved, firefighters will continue operating in the area at reduced intensity to prevent flare-ups and ensure no new fires ignite.
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The fire, which began early Wednesday and spread rapidly due to high winds and dry conditions, forced mass evacuations, closed highways, and devastated vast swaths of forest and farmland. With the immediate threat now diminished, authorities have launched a formal investigation into the cause of the fire.
Earlier in the day, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael–Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) estimated that approximately 20,000 dunams (5,000 acres) of land had been destroyed in the blaze. Of that, around 13,000 dunams (3,200 acres) were forested areas—many of them in Park Canada, a cherished green space west of Latrun that has been reduced largely to ash.
