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Multiple fires hit Israel amid hot, dry weather

Xinhua, November 23, 2016 Adjust font size:

Brush fires broke out on Tuesday in northern Israel, causing the evacuation of an entire town and injuring ten people, including children and an infant.

In Zichron Yaakov, a town north of Tel Aviv, at least 40 firefighting vehicles and eight jets struggled to tamp down a blaze.

Yoram Levi, a spokesperson from the Fire and Rescue Service, said that the fire erupted in the bushes outside the town and was quickly spreading due to strong winds and dry weather.

Police evacuated the residents and blocked entries to the town. Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported that the winery of Carmel, Israel's largest winery, was also evacuated due to fear that ammonia containers inside might explode.

The Fire and Rescue Service said that at least a dozen homes were damaged by the fire.

Israel's MDA emergency service said its teams treated ten people lightly injured due to smoke inhalation, including children and a ten-day-old baby boy.

Some 40 kilometers north of Zichron Yaakov, in the Nesher Industrial Zone, another fire broke out, prompting the evacuation of three plants, the Fire Service said.

There were no reports of injuries in Nesher.

A large forest fire broke out overnight Monday between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and forced the evacuation of Neve Shalom, a Jewish-Arab coexistence community Tuesday morning.

The fire erupted in a natural forest in Latrun.

Some 60 firefighting teams and ten jets have been struggling to gain control over the blaze.

The fire broke out amidst a rare string of hot days with strong eastern winds in what seems to be a drought year.

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the reasons for the fire are under investigation, in case of possible arson. Endit