A large fire broke out Wednesday afternoon in Britannia Park, near the city of Beit Shemesh in the Jerusalem region.

Firefighters’ spokesperson for the Jerusalem region Assaf Abras told Arutz Sheva that 19 firefighting crews had been called to the scene.

Some arrived from central Israel to assist the Jerusalem-area crews.

Four firefighting helicopters were called in as well, and a police helicopter assisted by providing data to firefighting commanders.

The fire spread quickly due to the low humidity and high ground temperature in the area, Abras explained. It destroyed dozens of dunams of natural forest.

Hikers were evacuated from the area for their own safety. Residents of nearby towns are not at risk, Abras said.