The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has warned that rapidly spreading wildfires near Quds could reach the city, as he declared the situation a “national emergency”, The Guardian reported. Thick smoke billowed above highways near Quds on Wednesday as firefighters rushed to control wildfires that have injured several people and prompted the military to deploy troops to help. Israel’s Magen David Adom (MDA) rescue agency reported that hundreds of civilians were at risk from the worst fires in years. Netanyahu warned that “the western wind can push the fire easily towards the outskirts of [Quds] – and even into the city itself. Police closed the main Quds-Tel Aviv highway and evacuated residents along the route as brushfires broke out again in an area ravaged by blazes a week ago. Communities housing thousands of people have been cleared out. Communities located about 30km (19 miles) west of Quds were evacuated, Israeli media reported, airing images of firefighting teams battling fierce flames.