Fierce wildfires erupt across Israel amid scorching heat wave

Amid a punishing heat wave and strong winds, multiple wildfires erupted across central Israel on April 23, forcing evacuations, disrupting transportation, and choking cities in thick smoke.

The blazes, fueled by dry conditions and high temperatures, triggered the evacuation of the towns of Eshtaol and Mesilat Zion near Beit Shemesh, Caliber.Az reports via Israeli media.

Police also shut down Route 38, a vital route linking the area to Jerusalem, as flames encroached dangerously close.

The first fire reportedly broke out near Moshav Tarum, quickly spreading due to gusty winds. Fire crews battled the blaze on the ground with support from four firefighting aircraft. Authorities urged the public to avoid the affected zones for their safety.

Smoke from the fires, burning approximately 25 kilometres from Jerusalem, blanketed the capital in a hazy shroud, sharply deteriorating air quality.

A second wildfire reached dangerously close to Route 6, one of the country’s major highways, prompting police to shut sections of the road near the towns of Petahia and Pedaya. Social media videos captured scenes of residents walking along the smoke-filled highway near Rehovot after abandoning their vehicles.

The encroaching flames also led to the suspension of train services in the affected area, as fire lines approached the tracks. According to Israel Fire and Rescue Services, 21 ground teams and two firefighting planes were deployed to combat the growing fires.

The Israel Meteorological Service had issued an “extreme weather” warning ahead of April 22, noting the potential for record-breaking temperatures.

Wildfires in Israel are often human-caused, typically due to negligence, and the country's hot, arid summers make it especially prone to such disasters. Major wildfire events have occurred in 1989, 1995, 2010, 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023.

Climate experts warn that these large-scale, fast-spreading fires are becoming more frequent, driven by the global climate crisis, which is intensifying heat waves and drying out vegetation across the region.

By Tamilla Hasanova