Comes weeks after wildfires in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv which injured 21, burned 5,000 acres of forest land
A fast-moving wildfire broke out Friday in a valley near Route 9, a major highway in western Jerusalem, threatening nearby residential neighborhoods and recreational areas, according to Israeli fire officials.
The Fire and Rescue Authority said it received a report early Friday morning about the blaze and immediately dispatched 10 firefighting teams to contain it.
The flames, authorities warned, are spreading rapidly toward walking and cycling paths and homes close to the highway.
No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire remains unknown.
The incident comes just weeks after massive wildfires hit the cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in early May, injuring 21 people and destroying nearly 20,000 dunams (about 5,000 acres) of forest land.
Those fires, the worst in years, forced the evacuation of 10 towns and settlements and were fueled by extreme heat and strong winds.
Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported Thursday that authorities had released all suspects arrested earlier this month in connection with the May wildfires near northwest Jerusalem.
The three men, all Palestinians, were freed after no evidence was found linking them to the blazes.
Right-wing politicians had blamed Palestinians for starting the fires but Israeli officials had initially pointed to weather conditions as the likely cause.
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