Israel wildfires latest: Firefighters winning 30-hour battle as Jerusalem blaze largely contained

Firefighter planes from Greece, Cyprus, Croatia and Italy were sent to Israel

Israel wildfires close key Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway as flames turn sky grey

Raging wildfires that threatened Jerusalem are finally under control, Israel’s fire and rescue service has said, following a 30-hour battle as aid arrived from Europe.

About 5,000 acres, including 3,000 acres of forest, have been scorched since the blaze started in the hills outside the city on Wednesday.

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the situation a national emergency, pleading for international aid. Firefighter planes from Greece, Cyprus, Croatia and Italy were sent to tackle the blaze, with reports saying that Ukraine, Spain, France and some other nations were also committed to sending aid.

The cause of the fires remained unclear, although Mr Netanyahu said that 18 people had been arrested on suspicion of igniting the fires.

At least a dozen people have been hospitalised and 10 have been treated in the field by medical professionals.

“This is perhaps the largest fire ever in the country,” Jerusalem’s district fire department commander Shmulik Friedman told reporters on Wednesday afternoon.

Key Points

• Wildfires near Jerusalem largely contained
• Israel declares national emergency as wildfires rage near Jerusalem
• At least 22 people treated by emergency services due to wildfires
• Israel wildfires mapped

[2 May 2025 19:00 · Rachel Clun]

Watch: Israeli military tackles blazing wildfires

Israel’s military and emergency services tackled a raging wildfire as it shut the main highway linking Jerusalem to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, 30 April.

[2 May 2025 18:30 · Rachel Clun]

What caused the Israel wildfires?

Israel’s prime minister Behjamin Netanyahu said earlier in the week there was no simple cause for the wildfire that could be one of the largest in Israel’s history.

[2 May 2025 18:00 · Rachel Clun, Bryony Gooch]

What we know about the Jerusalem wildfires

• Wildfires sparked in the outskirts of Jerusalem around midday on Wednesday.
• The fires gradually spread, fuelled by hot, dry conditions and fanned by strong winds.
• The fires were brought largely under control by Friday, with isolated blazes flaring up before being controlled again by emergency services.
• Several communities were evacuated as a precaution, and were allowed to return following assessments by local authorities on Thursday.
• The Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem highway was temporarily closed as smoke billowed over the hills.
• 23 people, including children, were treated for smoke inhalation and burns as the wildfire continues.
• Several countries sent firefighting aid to Israel, including firefighting aircraft.

[2 May 2025 17:30 · Rachel Clun]

In pictures: aircraft used to fight wildfires

Several countries sent firefighting aid to Israel, including aircraft that can drop water and fire retardant on blazes.

A firefighting aircraft dousing a fire with retardant in the Latrun area, in central Israel (EPA)

A firefighting aircraft dousing a fire with retardant in the Latrun area, in central Israel (AFP via Getty Images)

A firefighting aircraft dousing a fire with retardant in the Latrun area, in central Israel (AFP via Getty Images)

[2 May 2025 17:00 · Rachel Clun]

Opposition accuses Netanyahu government of ignoring warnings

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has accused the Netanyahu administration of failing to prepare for summer wildfires.

“In the government of change, we did organised staff work in preparation for any possibility of huge fires, including a budget discussion on firefighting helicopters and preparing the system for any disaster. The October 7 government threw everything away and ignored all the warnings from the professional ranks,” he said in a post on social media on Thursday.

“Of course, no one will take responsibility now, because they learned from Netanyahu that one should not take responsibility for any omission. Israel has become an unmanaged state. We will return, we will fix everything.”

[2 May 2025 16:30 · Rachel Clun]

Israel wildfires mapped

Israeli officials have said the wildfires are some of the largest they have experienced.

Here is where those fires have burned:

Locations of the wildfires burning in the forest west of Jerusalem, as of Thursday morning (1 May) (Google )

[2 May 2025 16:00 · Rachel Clun]

Seven countries sent support to Israel

Seven countries sent firefighting aid to Israel as emergency services battled large blazes.

Italy, Croatia, Spain, France, Ukraine, and Romania sent planes to help battle the fires, while North Macedonia and Cyprus sent water-dropping aircraft.

A firefighter airplane drops flame retardant while trying to extinguish a forest fire near the central Israeli town of Bet Shemesh, on May 2 (AFP via Getty Images)

[2 May 2025 15:31 · Rachel Clun]

Fire 'miraculously' has not damaged homes

Israel’s fire and rescue authority said the fires is the most significant the country has seen in a decade.

The fire has burned nearly 6,000 acres, but the authority’s spokesperson Tal Volvovitch said the wildfire has "miraculously" not damaged any homes.

The fires have burnt thousands of hectares (EPA)

[2 May 2025 15:00 · Stuti Mishra]

Aerial images show extent of wildfires

(REUTERS)

(EPA)

(Reuters)

[2 May 2025 14:38 · Stuti Mishra]

Comparisons to 2010 fire

In 2010, a massive forest fire burned for four days on northern Israel's Mount Carmel, claiming 44 lives and destroying around 12,000 acres, much of it woodland.

The scale of destruction in this fire was similar to that 2010 blaze, but the Jerusalem hills fire did not cause serious injuries.