Devastating wildfires have swept through Israel and the occupied West Bank, forcing thousands to flee their homes. The fires, which began on April 30, 2025, have burned over 25,000 dunams (25+ square kilometers) of land, primarily in the Jerusalem area.
The crisis has unfolded impact on the large areas and at least 45 people have been injured, with 18 hospitalized due to smoke inhalation or burns. While over 10,000 residents have been evacuated from areas west of Jerusalem, including the communities of Neve Shalom, Beko’a, Ta’oz, Mevo Horon, Mishmar Ayalon, and Nahshon. Highway 1 and Highway 3, major routes connecting Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, have been closed.
# Damage Assessment
The fires have destroyed approximately 70% of Canada Park in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has reported heavy damage to agricultural land and some buildings in Catholic communities, but no historic churches have been damaged
# Emergency Response
The Israeli government has declared a national emergency, deploying IDF troops to aid in firefighting efforts. International assistance has been requested, with countries like Greece, Cyprus, Croatia, Italy, and Bulgaria offering support. The Palestinian Authority has also offered to send firefighting squads, but Israel has not responded.
# Investigation
The cause of the fire is under investigation, with preliminary assessments suggesting negligence by hikers may be to blame. Some have attributed the wildfires to the climate crisis, while others have raised allegations of arson.
# International Support
Israel has received offers of assistance from several countries, including:
– *Greece*: Firefighting aircraft
– *Cyprus*: Firefighting support
– *Croatia*: Canadair CL-415 firefighting airplanes
– *Italy*: Canadair CL-415 firefighting airplanes
– *Bulgaria*: Firefighting support
– *Romania*: Two firefighting aircraft
– *Spain*: Two firefighting aircraft
– *France*: One firefighting aircraft
