A fire broke out Monday afternoon in the Carmit Forest near Ein Kerem in Jerusalem. Due to the rapidly spreading flames, the Fire and Rescue Services evacuated the Swedish Village—a facility for people with special needs—as well as Carmit Road. Firefighters are preparing to remove 156 individuals from the center.
According to the fire department, around 50 firefighters are currently operating on three fronts to contain the blaze, with 26 additional teams en route for reinforcement. Meanwhile, Carmit Road has been closed to all traffic.
Fire in the Carmit Forest near Ein Kerem, Jerusalem
(Video: Yulia Pintzuk, Liran Tamari)
Fire crews from Jerusalem's stations are battling the blaze on the ground, supported by aerial firefighting aircraft. “The operation is taking place in densely vegetated, difficult-to-access terrain,” the fire department reported. Due to the fire’s severity, they have declared a “firestorm” alert.
Magen David Adom (MDA) confirmed that teams of ambulances, mobile intensive-care units and rapid-response vehicles are on-site to provide medical coverage, and that MDA’s medical evacuation buses are on standby.
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The police stated that significant forces are assisting the firefighting efforts. In addition to ground teams, several firefighting aircraft and a helicopter from the Israel Police Air Unit are involved in combating the blaze.
“So far, the Swedish Village has been evacuated, and emergency services are ready to evacuate residents from additional nearby facilities if necessary,” police added.