Jerusalem, Aug 15 (AP) A massive wildfire outside of Jerusalem on Sunday sent a thick cloud of smoke over the city as authorities struggled to contain the blaze.

The cloud stretched over much of the city on Sunday afternoon, covering the skies overhead with a black and orange blanket of smoke.

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Israeli media said that hundreds of firefighters from across the country were trying to bring the blaze under control. Hot, dry weather and windy conditions were complicating the effort.

There were no reports of injuries, but Israeli police said that several communities west of Jerusalem were being evacuated and roads in the area were being closed to traffic. (AP)

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(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)