Large fire in Jerusalem Mountains, Molotov cocktail suspected cause
30 firefighting teams and 20 aircraft are operating in the area to extinguish flames; All Nataf residents have been evacuated, including a wedding celebration nearby; In Haifa more than 700 homes have been damaged and another 44 structures in the city have been classified as in danger.
Nearly all the residents of Haifa have been permitted to return to their homes after the cessation of firefighting activities in the city, but in the rest of the country, conflagrations continue, with police investigating possible Molotov-cocktail throwing being the cause of one.
Thirty firefighting teams and 20 firefighting planes have been sent to the area nearby the Ma'ale HaHamisha kibbutz in the Jerusalem Mountains, where a large fire is progressing towards the town of Nataf.
Amongst the planes assisting in the area are two sent from Greece that can dump 6,000 liters of water or flame suppressant. The Israel Police are investigating suspicions and claims that this fire was caused after a Molotov cocktail was thrown in the area of the Palestinian village of Qatana.
Nataf residents are being evacuated, as were the guests at a wedding that was being held at the Rama's Kitchen restaurant in the city.
In the West Bank, the fires also continue. The authorities managed to gain control of the brushfire in Yitzhar, thanks to the four teams and two planes sent to the area. In Geva'ot, two small fires were extinguished alongside another fire in an olive grove in Reihan. Five fire crews are still working to put out a blaze in Talmon.
In Haifa, house-to-house operations are still continuing to make sure there are no additional fires. Forces from the Navy entered burnt areas near the Carmel Hospital with back sprayers to extinguish so-called "hot spots."
As of now, Haifa city engineers have identified 44 structures in danger, 30 of which were classified as having serious problems. Residents of the structures were not permitted to return to their homes and the city is preparing to repair them. Mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav, estimated that a total of 700 homes were damaged in the city. Large parts of the city still remain without power and the presence of security and rescue forces in the city have been increased.
