The massive wildfire event in the Jerusalem area has been fully contained, Israel Fire and Rescue Brigade announced on Thursday evening, after over 30 hours of nonstop efforts from Israel's firefighters, soldiers, police, and more.
The blaze broke out on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. Multiple communities were evacuated, major highways were closed, and train service was disrupted as authorities worked to gain control of the blaze.
A strong presence of forces still remains on the ground to carry out final extinguishing operations overnight.
A situational assessment has been scheduled for dawn tomorrow to determine next steps, and forces from Mateh Yehuda Police, KKL-JNF, and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority will remain on alert and in contact with firefighting forces.
The fire destroyed thousands of acres of land
The fire consumed an estimated 10,000 dunams (2,470 acres) of natural forest, woodland, and open areas. However, due to the “courage and determination under difficult conditions” of the firefighters, no lives were lost in the event, Fire and Rescue stated.
"I am proud of our firefighters who stood at the front line with courage and resolve in the face of a wild and unpredictable fire. Thanks to swift action, full cooperation with the Fire Commissioner, and his directive to assist, we were able to halt the fire and regain control. This is a testament to the fighting spirit and uncompromising dedication of the Fire and Rescue Service personnel," Jerusalem District Commander, Fire Chief Shmuelik Friedman, said.
"It is important to emphasize that most fires of this kind are caused by human actions. We warned of this before, and we are warning again now. During this sensitive season and with the expected weather conditions, please follow the Fire and Rescue guidelines. The responsibility is in all of our hands."
Shir Perets contributed to this report.
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