A fire broke out on Thursday near the city of Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem, prompting authorities to evacuate residents for fear the flames could engulf their homes.
Another massive fire was reported in an open field near Kfar Menahem, in southern Israel.
Fires near Beit Shemesh
(Beit Shemesh News - Documentation of Firefighting and Rescue Operations, Jerusalem District)
Emergency services said the first reports of the flames near Beit Shemesh came at 3pm, and that weather conditions were making it difficult to get the fire under control.
At least 20 firefighting teams were on the scene, including some from Jerusalem, with six planes deployed to assist in the efforts. A special command center has been set up in the area.
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Aerial view of the fires near Beit Shemesh
(Photo: Israel Fire and Rescue Aerial Unit)
A local resident and her 17-year-old son said they had sprayed their home with water to prevent the flames from igniting it.
"If we had at our disposal proper fire hoses, we would be better able to prevent damage," the woman said. "My husband has been clearing the brush near our home but we were lucky that the wind turned," she said.
Hikers and cyclists were told to avoid the area and its popular trails.
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Fires near Beit Shemesh
(Beit Shemesh News - Documentation of Firefighting and Rescue Operations, Jerusalem District)
The local Ikea branch was also evacuated and shoppers sent home after the still out of control fire continued to spread.
Last month, more than 10,000 dunams (2.500 acres) of open fields went up in flames in two fires on the Golan Heights, which authorities suspected were the result of arson.
There too the flames began in two different locations.