“WORSENING WEATHER CONDITIONS”
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir hinted that arson could be behind the fires, as police said they had arrested a resident of east Jerusalem who was caught “attempting to set fire to a field in the southern part of the city”.
But there was no official declaration directly linking the two.
Ben Gvir said police would arrest anyone “involved in arson terror”, while also monitoring for unrest.
MDA said ambulance teams had been positioned near communities close to the fires and were ready to provide medical treatment and assist residents.
A motorcycle unit was ready to offer medical assistance to citizens stuck in heavy traffic, the agency added.
High temperatures and strong winds have allowed the fires in wooded areas to spread quickly, prompting evacuations from at least five communities, the police said in a statement.
Ben Gvir, who oversees Israel’s fire department, visited the affected area, which is prone to wildfires at this time of year.
