Wednesday's fire near the Jerusalem-area community of Even-Sapir flared up for the third time, Thursday afternoon, and spread toward the community. With ground-based and airborne firefighters returning to the scene, residents of the homes closest to the fire were evacuated.
A big fire was reported in the forest between Kibbutz Sha'ar Ha'amakim and Tiv'on, east of Haifa, and spreading toward Tiv'on. Eight ground crews and firefighting aircraft were battling the blaze.