Houses burn as huge wildfire forces evacuation of six Jerusalem-area communities
(Worthy News) – Houses were burning in the town of Ramat Raziel outside Jerusalem on Sunday, as a huge forest fire forced thousands of residents in six communities to evacuate their homes and emergency services fought to control the flames.
The fire, about 13 kilometers (8 miles) west of the capital, sent a huge pall of smoke across the city that blocked out the afternoon sun. Fire and Rescue Services Jerusalem District Commander Nissim Twito said the blaze may be the biggest in recent years in the area. Twito said 60-70 firefighting teams and 12 planes and helicopters were battling the flames.
An unnamed fire-and-rescue official quoted by Channel 13 said the massive blaze was likely sparked by humans. The official said, however, that it is not yet clear whether it was arson or negligence. [ Source: Times of Israel (Read More…) ]
