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Minister Suspects Arson as Firefighters Battle Blazes

CBN

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JERUSALEM, Israel – Israel's public security minister suspects arson may be behind multiple forest fires in diverse locations around the country.

Strong winds have hindered efforts by Israeli firefighters to extinguish forest fires threatening communities north and south.
 
More than 40 firefighting teams and airplanes have been battling blazes, fanned by the wind, in Zichron Yakov, where several people have been treated for smoke inhalation, Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld reported.
 
Firefighters also fought fires near Dolev in Samaria, fanned by the wind.
 
More fires broke out not far from Jerusalem near Latrun, Atlit and Nesher, where 19 people, including a newborn, were treated for smoke inhalation.
 
On Wednesday, a forest fire threatened the community of Nataf near Jerusalem. Police ordered families to evacuate as a precautionary measure as firefighting aircraft help ground units battle the blaze.
 
Brush fires broke out near the coastal town of Nahariya close to the Lebanese border and more forest fires between Kiryat Gat and Ashkelon, not far from Gaza.

Forty families were evacuated from Kibbutz Ravadim in southern Israel, as firefighters battle blazes.  
 
"It's beginning to appear in light of the multiple fire locations that arson could be the cause of some of the fires," Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan tweeted Wednesday, YNet reported.
 
"The police and the Fire Department will investigate. I ask the public to remain vigilant and report any case of suspected arson and any blaze to the police and the Fire Department, mostly in the coming couple of days due to the dry weather," Erdan said.

 

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