Wildfires raged across Israel for a third consecutive day, forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes in what officials described as an act of “arson terrorism.”
Twelve people were detained on Friday in relation to fires, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said, although it was not immediately clear if they were suspected of arson or negligence.
Speaking to reporters, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said if the fires were deliberately lit it would amount to “terrorism,” and vowed to severely punish anyone who “tries to burn parts of Israel,” Reuters reported.
“Every fire that was caused by arson, or incitement to arson, is terrorism by all accounts. And we will treat it as such.”
The fires began Tuesday in the northern community of Zichron Ya’akov, about 35 kilometers (22 miles) north of the city of Haifa. Authorities ordered the evacuation of 60,000 people in Haifa. Fires broke out the following day in Modi’in in central Israel.
The flames in Haifa were brought under control but strong winds Friday morning triggered a number of new fires, a police spokesman said. Firefighters on the ground are working with planes and police helicopters in the air, he said.
Another large fire continues to blaze in Harashim, about 35 kilometers (22 miles) to the northeast of Haifa.
Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan confirmed a “small number of arrests” but declined to elaborate, citing the ongoing investigation, according to Reuters.
“Today it is quite clear that a good amount of the fires were caused by arson and, as the Prime Minister said, there is a new phenomenon of arson terrorism.”
Haifa homes destroyed
Haifa mayor Yona Yahav said 700 homes in the city had been damaged or destroyed.
A police spokesman told CNN that 11 of the city’s neighborhoods are being evacuated, while two prisons at Carmel and Damon were also evacuated, with 600 prisoners and 150 prison officers moved by police.
According to Magen David Adom, Israel’s ambulance service, 35 people had been treated for light smoke inhalation across the country since the fires broke out earlier this week.
It said MDA remains on its highest alert level, with all vehicles and teams across the country on call.
Yahav told reporters that the scale of the fire was “unprecedented in Haifa” and that the city had set up six centers to welcome those evacuated.
The Israel Defense Forces’ Homefront Command has deployed two search-and-rescue battalions to assist civilian efforts.
A spokesman for the IDF confirmed that reservists have been called to assist police and fire services with resources and manpower.
The Palestinian Civil Defense provided eight fire trucks Thursday in response to an Israeli request for help, according to Nael Al-Azzeh of the Palestinian Civil Defense, based in West Bank city of Ramallah.
Four of the trucks went to Haifa and four to the Jerusalem area, he said.
There were 88 fires in total Thursday in the West Bank, he said, mostly in three areas around the cities of Ramallah, Nablus and Tulkarem.
A large fire burning overnight in Bet Meir, about 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) west of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, was under control as of Friday morning.
A bush fire near Kiryat Gat, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) southwest of Jerusalem, was also under control.
More than 1,500 fires reported
According to Ran Sheluf, head of the investigation unit of the Israel fire and rescue services, more than 1,500 fires had been reported over the past week.
“This is twice the usual number,” he said. “The cause of the fires is either negligence or being started deliberately.”
More than 250 of the fires were “large events,” a spokesman told CNN.
To help battle the blazes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested assistance from world leaders. Many have offered to help, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Russia will send two giant Beriev Be-200 firefighting aircraft to assist with the operation after the two leaders spoke on the telephone.
Turkey, Italy, Croatia, Greece and Cyprus are also assisting Israeli authorities.
Italy’s ambassador to Israel, Francesco M. Talo’, tweeted images of Italian planes preparing to take to the air.
A specially adapted Boeing 747 called the Supertanker, owned by a private American firefighting business, is also on its way to Israel.
It was used there in 2010, the last time there were serious fires in Israel, when more than 40 people died.