Car Fire on Highway 1 Sparks Evacuation Efforts Near Jerusalem

A car caught fire on Wednesday on Highway 1 near the Shoresh Interchange, heading towards Jerusalem. Firefighters from the Beit Shemesh region are battling the blaze, which has spread to a nearby forest and towards the settlement of Sho’ava. Strong winds in the area have fueled the fire. Firefighters are currently working to protect homes in Sho’ava, and no injuries have been reported. The incident has caused significant traffic disruptions, and police are on the scene assisting with traffic control. This is the second vehicle fire on Highway 1 this week, following a similar incident on Monday at the Sha’ar Hagai Interchange, which also spread to nearby forests. Firefighters from Jerusalem and neighboring districts responded to both incidents. Due to the severity of the fires, firefighting planes were deployed to help contain the flames. After about three hours, the fires were brought under control.