JERUSALEM – Firefighters are locked in a grueling fight against wildfires tearing through six major areas near Jerusalem, as searing heat and howling winds fuel a blaze that’s forced evacuations and choked highways. The inferno, raging since late April, has turned hillsides into ash and pushed emergency crews to their limits.
On April 23, flames erupted in the Eshtaol Forest, a tinderbox of dry pines west of Jerusalem, catching authorities off guard. By April 30, the fire had spread to the Shfela region, the Western Negev, and the central highlands, where temperatures hit a punishing 39°C. Low humidity and gusts strong enough to rattle windows gave the blaze a life of its own, jumping fire lines and swallowing scrubland. Over 110 ground crews, backed by eight firefighting planes, scrambled to contain the spread, their radios crackling with urgent updates.
Communities near Beit Shemesh, a city hugging Jerusalem’s southwest flank, were among the first to evacuate. Families grabbed what they could—photos, clothes, a kid’s favorite stuffed animal—and fled as smoke blotted out the sun. The main highway linking Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a vital artery for commuters, was partially shut down on May 1, with firefighting vehicles carving firebreaks to shield nearby neighborhoods. The closure snarled traffic for miles, leaving drivers stranded and staring at an orange haze.
Israel’s government, stretched thin by the scale of the disaster, issued an urgent call for international aid on April 30. Specialized firefighting units from neighboring countries were expected to arrive within days, bringing heavy equipment to bolster local efforts. The blazes, among the worst in recent years, also forced the cancellation of Independence Day events, a bitter blow for a nation already grappling with the fire’s toll.
In Jerusalem’s outskirts, the flames crept dangerously close to key landmarks. Reports confirmed fires threatening areas near Hebrew University and Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus, though no structural damage was reported by May 1. Emergency crews worked through the night, their faces smudged with soot, to keep the blaze at bay. Water-dropping aircraft buzzed overhead, dumping payloads that vanished into the smoke.
The firefighting operation is a race against nature’s fury. Crews are focusing on six hotspots: Eshtaol Forest, Beit Shemesh, Shfela, Western Negev, the central highlands, and Mount Scopus. Over 1,000 hectares of land have been scorched, with no immediate end in sight. Authorities have yet to release a full count of displaced residents or damaged homes, but the numbers are expected to climb.