A fire broke out Thursday morning in the forest near the Emuna daycare in Har Nof, forcing staff to evacuate the children due to the risk of smoke inhalation.
The daycare, located on Hai Tayeb Street, is next to the site where developers planned to construct three towers, in violation of the existing zoning laws and previous court decisions.
Local reports confirmed that the children in the daycare have been evacuated one street up the mountain, to Shaulzon Street, and all are safe; their parents have been asked to come pick them up.
Police have been notified and local first responders are at the scene. Residents and visitors are asked to avoid the area and keep the street clear for emergency vehicles.
A spokesperson for the Jerusalem District Fire and Rescue Service reported, "Firefighting aircraft have been dispatched, and nearby institutions, including a yeshiva and a daycare center, have been evacuated due to their proximity to the blaze."
"At this hour, firefighters from the Umah District Station are battling a developing forest fire in the Jerusalem Forest area near Har Nof. Four firefighting aircraft from the 'Elad' squadron have been deployed to assist in containing the flames."
A police statement read: "Following a fire that broke out near the Har Nof neighborhood in Jerusalem, officers from the Moriah Police Station are assisting Fire and Rescue Authority teams in gaining control of the flames, including road closures and traffic direction in the area."
"The aerial firefighting unit and a helicopter from the Israel Police aviation unit are supporting the ground forces. To ensure the safety and well-being of civilians, the evacuation of nearby educational institutions has begun due to heavy smoke."
Just prior to 2:00 p.m., the Fire and Rescue Service reported: "Following the earlier report of the fire in Jerusalem Forest, Incident Commander Deputy Fire Chief Shay Nehemia has declared control over the incident."
"Firefighters will continue monitoring and conducting final extinguishing operations in the coming hours."
