JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The fire which spread Sunday in the Jerusalem Hills destroyed 17,000 dunams of forests, four times more than the fire last June which broke out near Neve Ilan just a few miles north of the current location. The fire continued to burn throughout the night and the fire commission reported that more than 70 crews of firemen had been battling the fire during the night as well as a number of light airplanes. 3000 residents of the villages of Shoresh, Beit Meir, Givat Yearim and Shoevah were evacuated as the fire raged across the hills south of the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway. On Monday the fire continued in the region of Tzova near Jerusalem due to high winds in the area. Firefighters continue to fight the fire aided by 10 light planes.
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The Environment Ministry and Health Ministry reported high levels of air pollution in a number of communities within the region and warned people with heart and lung conditions as well as senior citizens, children and pregnant women from staying outside unnecessarily.
The fire also gutted the internationally renowned Metzudah winery, owned by Eli Bash, a Chareidi vintner. Bash and his workers were forced to escape for their lives as flames reached the winery, located in the village of Givat Yearim, destroying all of the bottles inside the winery and causing 8 million NIS of damage. Bash said that “there was a sense of chaos, of the world coming to an end. We took all of out belongings, all of the workers, we shut the doors and escaped. Not one bottle-top is left. The entire building caught fire and nothing is left. 30,000 bottles waiting to have wine placed in them were incinerated, but we will rise up and grow.” 150 barrels of wine were also burnt in the fire.
צובט בלב! יקב ׳המצודה׳ המצויין בגבעת יערים עלה באש ונשרף כליל היום בשריפה הגדולה בהרי ירושלים pic.twitter.com/vjhGZKM1I3
— עופר פטרסבורג (@oferpetersburg) August 15, 2021
Metzudah winery burnt down in Jerusalem Hills fire
אליהו באש, מנכ"ל יקב המצודה שבגבעת יערים שנשרף בדליקה, *הייתה תחושה של כאוס, של סוף העולם. תפסנו את הדברים שלנו, כל העובדים, סגרנו דלתות – וברחנו. לא נשאר פקק. כל המבנה עלה באש מבפנים, לא נשאר זכר, דבר. 30 אלף בקבוקים הגיעו שהייתי צריך לשים בהם יין, הלכו באש. אבל נקום ונגדל". pic.twitter.com/458i7QXrSI
— שלומי הלר (@Heller_shlomi) August 16, 2021