May 1 (UPI) -- Israel declared a national emergency Wednesday as wildfires driven by high winds created a wall of fire and continued to threaten forests and fields Thursday.
Thousands of residents evacuated on Wednesday have been allowed to return as the main Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway was reopened.
The fires forced hundreds from their homes west of Jerusalem and also interrupted a broadcast on Israel's most-watched TV Channel 12 during a news bulletin.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the fires are "part of a climate crisis that we must not ignore."
Related
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said 18 people had been arrested for arson for setting some wildfires outside of Jerusalem, but The Times Of Israel, citing police sources, said only 3 had been arrested and the arrests were not linked to the Jerusalem fires.
The wildfires are some of the worst in Israeli history as the nation marked its 77th Independence Day.
Israeli Fire and Rescue Services said the cause of the wildfires isn't yet clear.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, troops are helping battle the fires in Jerusalem and other areas.
"IDF forces are operating to combat ongoing fires in the Jerusalem Hills area," the IDF statement said. "Firefighting teams from the Air Force, including fire trucks, were dispatched to fire zones."
A helicopter unit helped search for trapped or missing people.
Aircraft, including the "Samson" C-130J and other firefighting aircraft, are assisting in "ongoing fire suppression efforts," according to the IDF.
Several aircraft from other nations were enroute Thursday to help fight the fires.
Israel Thursday operated its "Elad Squadron" including American-made Air Tractor AT-802 planes as aircraft from Cyprus, Croatia and Italy joined the firefighting efforts.
France was also expected to send Dash 8 Q400 aircraft that have been converted for firefighting.
More than 120 firefighting and rescue teams are working the fires.
