The blaze, which erupted midday Wednesday in the hills outside Jerusalem, has scorched approximately 5,000 acres (20 square kilometers), making it one of the most severe in Israel in over a decade.

Fanned by hot, dry weather and strong winds, the fire rapidly spread through pine forests, forcing the evacuation of nearby communities. A major highway connecting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem was shut down, with drivers abandoning vehicles as flames approached.

The thick smoke cast a gray pall over the capital, prompting the cancellation of many Independence Day celebrations. Despite the scale of the fire, no homes have been reported damaged, a situation described as “miraculous” by Tal Volvovitch, spokesperson for Israel’s Fire and Rescue Authority.

Israel’s fire and rescue authority warned the public to stay away from parks or forests, and to be exceptionally careful while lighting barbecues. Thursday was Israel’s Independence Day, which is typically marked with large family cookouts in parks and forests.

At least 12 people were treated in hospitals on Wednesday, mainly due to smoke inhalation, while another 10 people were treated in the field, Magen David Adom Ambulance services said. Twenty firefighters have been lightly injured, Volvovitch said.

Italy, Croatia, Spain, France, Ukraine, and Romania were sending planes to help battle the flames, while several other countries, including North Macedonia and Cyprus, were also sending water-dropping aircrafts. Israeli authorities said 10 firefighting planes were operating on Thursday morning, with another eight aircraft to arrive during the course of the day.

Israel’s fire and rescue authority lifted the evacuation order on approximately a dozen towns in the Jerusalem hills on Thursday.

Three Catholic religious communities who were forced to evacuate from their properties on Wednesday were also able to return on Thursday, said Farid Jubran, the spokesperson for the Latin Patriarchate. He said their agricultural lands, including vineyards and olive trees, suffered heavy damage, and some of the buildings were damaged. But there were no injuries, and historic churches were not affected.

The main highway linking Jerusalem to Tel Aviv reopened on Thursday, a day after the flames had encroached on the road, forcing drivers to abandon their cars and flee in terror. On Thursday morning, broad swathes of burned areas were visible from the highway, while pink anti-flame retardant dusted the top of burned trees and bushes. Smoke and the smell of fire hung heavy in the air.

Israel often sees fires in the summertime, but such strong fires this early in the year are unusual. Many of Israel’s forests are planted rather than natural.

One of the organizations that manages Israel’s forests said that the fires had perfect conditions to spread: a winter with little rain, hot and dry weather, and exceptionally strong winds that are shifting direction constantly.