Huge wildfires have been raging near Jerusalem on Wednesday, forcing communities to mass evacuate and resulting in the cancelation of Israel’s “Ha’atzmaut” Independence Day events.

The defense minister has called the still-raging fires a “time of national emergency” as high winds have made the blaze nearly impossible to fight effectively, and as major roads have been closed, including Route 1, which connects Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The typically dry conditions also aren’t helping.

“This is perhaps the largest fire ever in the country,” Jerusalem District Fire Department Commander Shmulik Friedman told a Wednesday afternoon press briefing, while saying that winds expected to exceed 60mph are expected “in the near future” – which could make things worse.

At least ten communities in the area near the fire have been evacuated, and photos have shown flames encroaching on military areas and tank formations.

Israeli media has reported that a Palestinian man has been apprehended and is being questioned as an arson suspect, after fleeing from police and being caught with fire-starting items on him:

An arson suspect was arrested Wednesday, as authorities were probing whether major brush fires west of Jerusalem were started intentionally and as calls appeared on Palestinian social media to start more blazes. However, authorities said Wednesday evening it was too early to determine the cause of the fires.

A 50-year-old resident of East Jerusalem’s Umm Tuba neighborhood was arrested on suspicion of attempting to set fire to vegetation in southern Jerusalem, police said.

⚡️🔥 Israeli media says: Today’s fires are the largest in “Israel’s history.”

The occupation forces evacuated five settlements and closed the highway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. (Qudsn) pic.twitter.com/uCWyVtoRGc

— MenchOsint (@MenchOsint) April 30, 2025

At this point the precise cause of the fire hasn’t been substantiated, but Israeli media is pointing to threatening online messages like the following:

One message on the Palestinian channel Shehab, which is affiliated with Hamas, said: “There are popular calls to set fire to forests near the settlements.” Hamas considers all Jewish communities in Israel and the West Bank, both within and beyond the Green Line, to be settlements.

Another message circulated on X across several accounts stated: “Your role is to set fire to gardens, vehicles and everything around the settlements.”

However, other theories abound…

BREAKING 🚨 Israel fire set by Israeli settlers trying to burn down Palestinian olive groves. pic.twitter.com/di5zcIM3uE

— Syrian Girl (@Partisangirl) April 30, 2025

There are locales where the fire is impacting Palestinian communities as well. Israeli media is strongly suggesting this is linked to Hamas and events in Gaza.

According to additional reports:

A map circulating in Israeli security circles depicts the locations of the fires, almost all of which are marked on the Israeli side of the Green Line separating the West Bank from Israel and Gaza—not in the areas inhabited by Palestinians. Hamas posted on social media a call for Palestinians in the West Bank and Israel to “burn whatever you can of groves, forests, and settler homes” and “set their cars ablaze.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is meanwhile warning that the fires could soon directly threaten the city of Jerusalem.

He described that “the western wind can push the fire easily towards the outskirts of (Jerusalem) — and even into the city itself”.

A national emergency has been declared in Israel as huge fires rapidly spread across the Jerusalem Hills, a mountainous region near the capital.

According to reports and footage circulating online, the blaze has reached army bases nearby Jerusalem.

Israel has requested… pic.twitter.com/xPjoR58pp0

— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) April 30, 2025

“We need to bring as many fire engines as possible and create firebreaks well beyond the current fire lines… We are now in a national emergency, not just a local one,” he added in the video statement.