Tel Aviv, MINA – A fast-moving wildfire broke out on Thursday in Ness Ziona, near Tel Aviv, forcing evacuations as flames spread from open woodland into residential neighborhoods.
According to Israel Army Radio, at least three buildings caught fire as the blaze advanced rapidly. Residents living closest to the fire were evacuated as a precaution.
Twenty-one firefighting teams were deployed to contain the flames and prevent further damage to homes. As of 5:05 p.m. local time, no injuries had been reported.
Anadolu Agency reported that the cause of the fire remains unknown. However, Israel has recently faced soaring temperatures, with highs reaching 34°C (93°F).
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Ness Ziona sits on Israel’s coastal plain, an area prone to wildfires during dry and hot conditions because of flammable vegetation and farmland.
In May, large wildfires near Jerusalem and Tel Aviv injured 21 people and scorched around 20,000 dunams (4,940 acres) of forest. Those fires, driven by extreme heat and high winds, forced evacuations in 10 communities and illegal settlements and took over 31 hours to extinguish.
Smaller blazes have continued to flare up across Israel since then, causing property damage but no additional casualties.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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