A large fire broke out near Jerusalem Tuesday morning, forcing residents of a nearby town to evacuate.

The blaze was reported just west of the capital, adjacent to the town of Shoresh.

Fourteen firefighting units have been deployed to combat the blaze, with six firefighting aircraft dispatched to aid efforts to contain the fire. A police helicopter is operating in the area to help direct firefighting efforts. Two additional firefighting aircraft are expected to join those planes already active in the area.

Residents living on the outer row of houses on the side of Shoresh facing the fire have been evacuated from their homes. The local gas station has also been evacuated due to its proximity to the fire.

As a result of the fire, the primary highway linking Jerusalem and Tel Aviv is experiencing extremely high levels of traffic.