The Fire and Rescue Authority contained the flames that were spreading at the Beit Keshet Forest and the Eshtaol Forest on Tuesday, KAN News reported.
After a vehicle caught fire near the Shimshon Interchange by Beit Shemesh, a blaze broke out and began spreading to the nearby forests. The flames then extended to Beit Keshet as well.
Route 44 was closed to traffic as a result, the Israel Police said, adding that officers were working to divert traffic from the area.
Firefighting planes were called in as the Fire and Rescue Authority worked to extinguish the blaze.
Fighting one of the most intense heatwaves in decades
Israel continued to swelter under one of its most intense heat waves in decades as the temperature reached its peak on Tuesday, with exceptionally hot weather expected throughout Tuesday and Wednesday.
Kibbutz Gilgal, in the center of the Jordan Valley, had the record for the highest temperature recorded in the settlement at 47 degrees Celsius and 26% humidity on Tuesday. Jerusalem on the same day reached a peak of 41.3 degrees Celsius.
Due to the Israel Meteorological Service’s forecast and extreme life-threatening heat conditions, a complete ban has been imposed on entering all hiking trails in open areas within the nature reserves and national parks in Israel until Saturday, August 16.
Moshe Cohen contributed to this report.