Fire forces Yad Vashem evacuation

Jerusalem’s Yad Vashem memorial museum was among 200 buildings and homes to be evacuated on Wednesday after a forest fire raged nearby.

Flames began spreading in the early afternoon between the neighbourhood of Ein Kerem and Yad Vashem. More than 30 fire-fighting units and six aeroplanes were called to the scene to fight the blaze and assist hundreds of people escape to safety, including museum staff and visitors.

According to a police spokesperson, a few people were treated for smoke inhalation, but no serious injuries have yet been reported.

Speaking from the scene, Jerusalem Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Kobe Erez said: “It started somewhere in the woods, but we still don’t know the details of how or where.