Firefighters in Jerusalem on Saturday have been battling several fires since the early morning hours. Investigators estimate the separate blazes were deliberately started by the same person.
At approximately 4 pm firefighters received a report of a fire in HaShalom Forest, near the Abu Tor neighborhood.
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Earlier, nine separate fires were reported in the capital's Armon Hanatziv neighborhood. Firefighters successfully extinguished all six fires. No injuries were caused by the blazes, however a vehicle did sustain some damage.
Photo courtesy of Jerusalem Fire and Rescue Services
Fire Services officials said the location of the blazes and the time they were started indicates they were started by the same person.
Photo courtesy of Jerusalem Fire and Rescue Services
Jerusalem's Fire Services spokesman Assaf Abers said firefighters received the first call at 7:40 am, then again at 7:55. "Since then we have been called to Armon Hanatziv every half hour to an hour," he said.
"Most of the fires are started in briar patches, and in some cases, trimmed branches were set on fire on sidewalks or in open areas. Given the proximity of the incidents, we have determined that a lone arsonist started the fires. There is no other possibility."
This past month has seen more than 15 fires in Jerusalem, most of which were determined as arson attacks.