Israel’s fire department is operating in emergency mode over the past three days as unseasonably strong winds combined with dry trees and brush have led to many large fires. All stations are operating on 12-hour shifts and all leave has been canceled.

As the country by and large has not yet seen winter rains, everything is dry from the summer months and this coupled with the winds permit fires to spread rapidly and make firefighting efforts extremely difficult.

Some sixty families were evacuated from their homes in Talmon in the Binyamin Regional Council area of the Shomron during the night. B’chasdei Hashem fire officials have declared the fire under control on Thursday morning 23 Cheshvan and residents are permitted to return to their homes. There are no reported injuries from that blaze.

Another large blaze broke out on Thursday morning in the Beit Shemesh area, near Kibbutz Harel. Due to changes in wind direction the blaze that was raging near Nataf is now moving towards N’vei Ilan, nearer to the capital.

Two homes were damaged in Gilon, which is in the Segev Regional Council. B’chasdei Hashem there was no loss of life or injuries.

Fire planes have arrived from Greece to assist as the fire department, IDF and JNF do not have sufficient planes to maintain control under the current conditions.

Forecasters believe the windy conditions are likely to continue through Shabbos, with today, Thursday, being the strongest winds.

Fire inspectors and police will be investigating the many blazes that have broken out in past days, with authorities believing some, if not many, may be the result of Palestinian arson terror.

A portion of Route 443, the Jerusalem-Modi’in Highway was closed earlier this morning due to a large brush fire, which has been brought under control. The road has been reopened to rush hour traffic.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)