Firefighters Battle Blaze in Haruvit Forest; Hikers Evacuated

Firefighters from the Beit Shemesh region have been battling a forest fire in Haruvit Forest since early Saturday afternoon, with assistance from additional firefighting forces. All hikers in the forest near Beit Shemesh were evacuated as teams worked to contain the spread of the blaze and concentrate efforts in the affected area.

Six firefighting planes operated from the air, complementing the ground crews, which included 35 KKL-JNF foresters and workers, along with six fire trucks. A surveillance helicopter was also deployed to provide an aerial overview and support the forces on the ground. The fire is currently contained, with no threat to facilities or communities in the vicinity.

The incident occurred as many Israelis took advantage of the beginning of the Sukkot holiday to visit nature reserves and national parks across the country on Saturday. Approximately 70,000 visitors frequented sites managed by the Nature and Parks Authority, including popular locations like Gan Hashlosha, Ashkelon, Afek, Caesarea, Ein Hamad, Banias, Ein Gedi, Dor HaBonim, and Almogim. Many also chose to spend the eve of Sukkot at the authority's overnight camping sites.