Wildfire near Jerusalem under control

Israel's fire and rescue authority said Thursday evening that after more than 30 hours of fighting, it had managed to contain the wildfires that raged on the outskirts of Jerusalem. The Fire and Rescue Services said firefighters would continue their efforts over the coming hours, albeit at a lower intensity than before, to prevent new fires from cropping up. 

The fires in the Jerusalem hills erupted on Wednesday morning. Fanned by high temperatures and strong winds, the fires spread rapidly through wooded areas, scorching over 20 square kilometers of land. The Fire and Rescue Services said a preliminary assessment indicated that the blazes were likely caused by negligent hikers, not arson. But it had yet to determine what had caused the fires, as a further investigation is still underway.