Fires are raging across Israel forcing residents of communities to flee their homes and blocking major roads as temperatures soared throughout the country in what authorities said was an “extreme” heat wave.

Firefighters were battling a large fire in the Ben Shemen Forest near the central city of Modiin. Some residents in the nearby communities of Kfar Daniel, Mevo Modiim and Gimzo were evacuated from their homes and Route 443, a key road linking Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, was closed.

Some 22 people were hospitalized for smoke inhalation, including 2 in moderate condition. The head of Fire and Rescue Services called up all firefighters in the central region in light of the large number of blazes in the area.

One resident who runs a day care in the kibbutz and was evacuated by firefighters together with the children in her care, told the Maariv news site, “The most important thing is that the kids are okay. Everyone is okay. I’ve never experienced anything like this in my entire life on the kibbutz.”

To the southwest of Jerusalem six firefighting planes were called in to help extinguish a series of fires that had been raging. A firefighting plane was also working alongside rescue teams to douse a major blaze near the central Israeli town of Elad.

The village founded by the singing Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach was burned to the ground local authorities said. Temperatures have been hitting 100° F to 110° F across Israel.

And in the West Bank, police evacuated some 30 families from their homes in the Beit Hagai settlement as a fire approached the community. Several fires in the south, near Gaza, were believed to have been sparked by incendiary devices launched from the Gaza Strip.

Numerous fires continued to break out across Israel as firefighters were also battling another blaze in Be’eri Forest.

The Israel Nature and National Parks Protection Authority has appealed to the public not to take walks or go on hikes in open areas as even higher temperatures grip the country. In addition, the Firefighting Commission said it is forbidden to light fires at reserves and parks while these conditions prevail.

The situation has become so dire that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed the Foreign Ministry to reach out to nearby countries for “immediate” assistance in putting out the hundreds of fires that were ravaging the country, destroying houses and forcing the evacuation of some 3,500 from their homes.

Later, the Foreign Ministry said Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Croatia had agreed to send help, but the aircraft would only be able to depart for Israel on Friday.

Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan held a situational assessment and instructed fire authorities to prepare for the possibility that a national emergency be declared.

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