Wildfire rips through Haifa; Israeli leaders say it may have been intentionally set

HAIFA, Israel – A wildfire roared through parts of Israel’s third-largest city Thursday, forcing tens of thousands of people to leave their homes as the country’s leaders raised the possibility that Arab assailants had intentionally set the blaze.

Spreading quickly because of dry, windy weather, the fire raced through Haifa’s northern neighborhoods.

While there were no serious injuries, several dozen people were hospitalized for smoke inhalation. Israel called up hundreds of military reservists to join overstretched police and firefighters.

The Haifa blaze was the most serious in a series of fires across the country in recent days. On a visit to the area, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said anyone implicated in setting the fires would be punished.

“It’s a crime for all intents and purposes and in our opinion it is terror for all intents and purposes,” he said.

Netanyahu did not elaborate on the identity or motives of the suspected arsonists, but Israeli officials typically use the term “terror” to refer to Arab or Palestinian militant activity.

Israel has been on edge during more than a year of Palestinian attacks, mostly stabbings, that have tapered off but not stopped in recent months.

Israel’s police chief, Roni Alsheich, said arrests had been made.

“It’s safe to assume that whoever is setting the fires isn’t doing it only out of pyromania,” he said. “It’s safe to assume that if it is arson it is politically motivated.”