Firefighters gain control of fire in southern Golan

Route 888 was closed to traffic and hikers and visitors were asked to evacuate region in Golan; 15 trucks and 2 planes deployed to battle blaze.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Firefighting Plane 311 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Firefighting Plane 311
(photo credit: Courtesy)
A wildfire raging in the Golan on Saturday was under control by late afternoon.
The fire erupted on Saturday morning near Moshav Had Nes in the southern Golan Heights. Route 888, which had been closed while workers battled the blazed, was reopened to traffic and hikers were told they could return to the area.
RELATED:Jerusalem firefighters deal with wave of post-holiday blazesAround 200,000 Israelis visit KKL-JNF parks on Shavuot
Fifteen fire-fighting trucks and two fire-extinguishing planes arrived on scene Saturday morning to battle the blaze. Route 888 was closed to traffic, and hikers and visitors in the area were ordered to evacuate immediately. As an added precaution, several dozen visitors were also asked to evacuate from the nearby area of the Hexagon Pool.
No injuries were reported, but a great deal of wild brush was burned. In December 2010, 37 Prison Services employees and cadets died during the devastating Carmel wildfires.