More than 100 firefighter teams continued to fight fires in the hills west of Jerusalem for a second day on Thursday, but seemed to win gains containing the flames overnight, with fire -fighting planes of European allies which should arrive later.
While the Israelis celebrated independence day, the authorities reopened the roads that had been closed a day earlier and left all residents evacuated to their homes, but warned that the fires remained unable and could turn on Thursday.
“At this stage, we have still not taken control (fires),” the fire and rescue service said in a statement on Thursday morning.
The KKL-JNF estimated Thursday morning that some 20,000 dunams (4,900 acres) had been burned in the flames, including 13,000 Dunams (3,200) from Woodland, with Canada Park outside the city of Modi’in suffering particularly extensive.
The fires of the region of the hills of Jerusalem broke out on Wednesday morning, tearing up the periphery of the capital while a wave of stifling heat and strong winds nourish the propagation of the flames.
The fires, which, according to an official, could be the largest in Israel, forced 10 communities to evacuate and close several roads, including the main highway connecting Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
A spokesperson for the fire and rescue service said before noon Thursday that the authorities had authorized the residents of Sha’ar Hagai, Mesilat Zion, Beit Meir, Shosh, Neve Ilan, Yad Hashmona and Nataf to return.
Residents of Mevo Horon, a West Bank colony near the Israeli city in Modiin, were allowed to return home earlier on Thursday. Residents of Eshtaol and Mishmar Ayalon were allowed to go home on Wednesday.
A firefighter tries to turn off a huge forest fire in Canada Park, west of Jerusalem, April 30, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel / Flash90)
There has been no major damage to fire in any of the cities.
Despite the ongoing flames, Israeli police announced Thursday morning that he is reopening the highway of Route 1 and other roads near Jerusalem which had been blocked.
One day earlier, motorists had been forced to abandon their vehicles while the flames closed on the main highway.
A train line connecting Jerusalem and Tel Aviv was also reopened.
Israeli firefighters are fighting forest fire in Latrun, outside Jerusalem, May 1, 2025. (AP / Ohad Zwigenberg)
The fire and rescue service said late Thursday Thursday that 126 teams were working to extinguish six separate forest fires in the region west of Jerusalem, from 163 teams that had been called in the fight a day earlier.
“The firefighters work in difficult conditions,” said firefighters Eyal Caspi. “The teams have been working for long hours almost without stopping to rest.”
A spokesperson for the fire and rescue service refused to respond if progress had been made to control the flames or to detail the duration of the unconfiscked fire.
Firefighters strive to turn off a burning forest fire in the hills of Jerusalem, April 30, 2025. (AP photo / Mahmoud Ilan)
Although Thursday morning, a drop in temperatures and chances of a slight drizzle, the authorities warned that the fires could increase again in the afternoon with winds that should fall back and temperatures to increase.
The current flames put a brake on the day of independence, traditionally marked by crowds of packaging parks and natural Israelis sites, grins in hand. Authorities have warned picnickers and hikers to stay away from several national parks and natural reserves in fire areas.
A national ban on fire and barbecue lighting in the open areas has been in force, confirmed a spokesperson for fire and rescue services at the time of Israel.
The aerial video of the fire site has shown enormous strips of land of flames.
תיעוד מהא supplied@inbartvizer pic.twitter.com/9mi4khlgbt
– החדשות – N12 (@ n12news) May 1, 2025
The Blazes extended the resources of the fire fighting service, encouraging Israeli defense forces to join the effort and the pleadings for international aid.
Cyprus and Italy were to send eight planes on Thursday to help the besieged Israeli emergency services, authorities announced. There were also aid offers from Ukraine, Spain, France, Romania and Croatia.
A French diplomat said he had offered two CL-415 Canadair, but the Israeli authorities evaluated if the planes were necessary.
A firefighter plane drops the late flame while trying to turn a forest fire near Beit Shemesh, on May 1, 2025. (Ahmad Gharabli / AFP)
Meanwhile, 10 out of 14 Israeli fire-fighting planes worked to extinguish the conflagers, the fire service said.
Health officials said 17 firefighters were injured, two of whom were taken to hospitals. More than a dozen people, including two pregnant women and two infants, were hospitalized on Wednesday, mainly for smoke inhalation and burns.
Fire fighting teams have stretched, FDI’s chief of staff, Lieutenant-General Eyal Zamir, ordered soldiers to help fight flames.
Four Israelis Air Force C-130J Super Hercules Lourses transport aircraft, known in the IAF under the name of SHIMSHON, operated throughout the night, leaving more than 95 charges of fireproof equipment, the army announced on Thursday morning. The IAF also sent team fighting teams on the ground.
The management of the command and technology and logistics of the front Home provided more than 50 fire trucks. The Home Front command also wrote reservist firefighters to help efforts.
The IAF Pilot is seen in a C-130J Super Hercules during fire fighting efforts in the Jerusalem region, April 30, 2025. (Israeli defense forces)
Technological and logistics management has also provided containers over 300,000 liters of water, as well as equipment and food for fire fighting teams. Management has set up three rest forms for troops and other rescue forces, the army said.
In addition, the FDIs said they used dozens of heavy construction vehicles to prevent fires from spreading.
The Directorate of Military Intelligence also helped, with its unit 9900, which specializes in Vissint or Visual Intelligence, making several aircraft and satellite outings on fires to map the main fire sites.
The Israel Air Intelligence Group – The Intel IAF unit – has set up a working group to analyze the flames, and the Division of Operational Operations of the Intelligence Department “synchronized a variety of resources to help analyze the zone of fire and direct fire and rescue forces,” added the FDI.
View of a solid forest fire near Mevo Horon, April 30, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel / Flash90)
In addition to the fire fighting teams that fight against fires outside Jerusalem, a spokesperson for fire and rescue services said that 24 fire-fighting teams and four volunteer units were sent Wednesday to extinguish several Fulaux across northern Israel, including AFULA, RUMA al-Heib and RAMAT ZVI.
12 additional teams in northern Israel were sent south to help fight fires outside Jerusalem.
Before sunrise Thursday, the firefighters saved three people from a fire that broke out in a senior center of life in the central coastal city of Bat Yam. The fire service said several people had been taken to hospitals with light injuries, including an 80 -year -old man.
Emanuel Fabian contributed to this report.
