A wildfire broke out in a forest on Saturday morning next to Moshav Tzalfon, near the Beit Shemesh area. Firefighters said the fire has two epicenters, the first epicenter, they said, is on the outskirts of Tzalfon.
Border police and firefighters are working to evacuate the first line of houses in Tzalfon, in order to curb the spread of the fires. Though, firefirghters said at this point there is no real danger to the house line.
The second epicenter is in the President's forest, which firefighters said is officially under control, adding that they have stopped the fire from spreading towards further into the forest.Crews are preparing for additional forces to extinguish the fire centers, including the Elad firefighting plane squad.
Police have closed off Nachshon junction to the East, and Shimshon junction to the West.
Following the extreme heat wave which began on Wednesday, Israel Fire and Rescue Services have mentioned that lighting fires should be avoided. The Nature and Parks Authority has called on the public to refrain from hiking on open nature trails in the coming days.
According to the forecast from the Israeli Meteorological Service, the temperature will continue rise on Saturday, with heat waves due to impact most of the country. In addition, there may be light local rainfall in the south of the country from noon.
However, the Parks Authority said it is possible to travel to sites where the duration of the hike is short and there are shaded seating areas for rest and relaxation places such as fountains or running water.
The Health Ministry published a list of precautionary measures one should take during the heat wave:
1. Stay in a cool environment, at a temperature of 22-24 degrees, and use air conditioners if possible. For those who do not have air conditioning in their home, it is recommended to stay in an air-conditioned public space for around 2-3 hours a day, while adhering to social distancing guidelines.
2. Make sure to drink enough water to prevent dehydration.
3. Do not let yourself be exposed to heat above 25 degrees for long periods of time. Do not go outside during the afternoon, do not exercise during the daytime, do not stay in a parked car.
4. It is important to remember that exposure to the sun does not help against the coronavirus! Preventing infection can be done by adhering to the Ministry of Health guidelines - maintaining a 2-meter social distance, wearing a mask over your mouth and nose and washing hands frequently.
5. Especially in hot weather, it is important to look after the health of family members and older neighbors, who are staying at home alone, to take an interest in their wellbeing and to assist them while adhering to the Health Ministry's guidelines.Idan Zonshine translated and contributed to this article.