A large wildfire is burning in the Jerusalem hills, prompting the evacuation of residents from their homes. Dozens of firefighting crews are operating at the scene, according to reports.
A wildfire in the Jerusalem hills continues to spread, prompting the evacuation of additional residents from the community of Kesalon on Sunday afternoon. At 16:50 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that Jerusalem Border Police (Magav) were operating in Kesalon to evacuate residents, and Route 395 has been closed to traffic. The fire has been burning since earlier in the afternoon, with dozens of firefighting crews and aerial firefighting aircraft working to contain the blaze.
The first report of the fire, at 16:50 Jerusalem from i24NEWS, noted a brush fire spreading near Moshav Kesalon, with fire crews on scene and no casualties reported. Shortly after, N12 reported the fire intensifying and threatening nearby homes. As the blaze grew, aerial firefighting aircraft were dispatched, and the first row of homes in Kesalon was evacuated. The latest update from N12 indicated that approximately 30 firefighting crews and six aircraft were deployed, with Border Police now assisting in the evacuation.
The community of Kesalon is located in the Jerusalem hills, near Beit Shemesh, in the Judea region. The area is home to residential communities that have been subject to periodic wildfires during dry conditions.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and the full extent of property damage has not yet been assessed. No injuries have been reported.
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