Massive Fire Raging Out of Control Near Beit Meir

A huge fire broke out in a forest near Beit Meir, not far from Yerushalayim, on Sunday afternoon.

The fire encompasses a wide swath of forest and fire fighters have yet to succeed in bringing it under control, despite the presence of a large number of fire fighters at the scene.

Police are working to evacuate the residents.

Eight firefighting planes are working in an attempt to stop the spread, but there is currently no control over the fire.

The wildfire has also caused the evacuation of some residents of the communities of Ramat Raziel, Kiryat Ye’arim (Telshe Stone) and Sho’eva.

The massive blaze has caused a cloud of thick smoke that has blocked the sun for much of Yerushalayim.

One of the fires was reportedly moving toward the Yerushalayim Mental Health Center at Eitanim, making an evacuation a possibility.

All firefighters from the Yerushalayim District Fire and Rescue services, even those off-duty, were scrambled to help battle the fires.