Almost two days after the huge fires in the Jerusalem Hills broke out, firefighters remain deployed in the area, with control having been achieved over most of the flare-ups. Nevertheless, hundreds of local residents have not yet been allowed to return to their homes, among them the residents of Kibbutz Tzova and Givat Ye'arim. Sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs say that Turkey has offered aid to Israel in extinguishing the fires and that Israel is examining the offer.
Eight firefighting planes and a helicopter are working to extinguish the active hotspots - the Har Tayasim nature reserve, West and East Kisalon, Beit Meir, Har Eitan. The remaining hotspots are under control. Road 365 is still closed to traffic in both directions from Eshta'ol Junction to Sataf Junction, as is Road 386 between Nes Harim and Ein Karem.
The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environmental Protection have announced that measurements indicate a high degree of air pollution in Tzova and Givat Ye'arim, at the Eitanim Hospital and in other places in the area. Vulnerable people such as those with lung conditions, the elderly, small children, and pregnant women are recommended not to stay outdoors unnecessarily, while the rest of the local population is recommended to reduce outdoor physical activity.
"The situation is that we are deployed vey widely in the whole sector after a general call-up yesterday, Nissim Pinto, commander of the Jerusalem Region Fire Service told Radio FM103. "Overnight, we dealt with extinguishing hotspots, and this morning I presume that the fog will disperse and we will make efforts from the air to complete the work of putting out the blaze in those places inaccessible to ground forces."
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on August 17, 2021
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