JERUSALEM, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- A huge fire on Mount Carmel in northern Israel was contained Sunday afternoon, officials said.
Crews assessing the scene said the fire was contained in all locations, and firefighters would proceed to extinguish it, Haaretz reported.
Fire Brigade spokesman Boaz Rakia said populated areas that had been evacuated were now safe.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called for a halt to the flow of additional aircraft to Israel, saying there is no need for further air assistance, indicating the fire was under control, Channel Ten television reported.
The fire that broke out Thursday has burned more than 5 million trees in a 12,000-acre area, officials told Channel Ten.
"This morning we are focusing on two areas, Mount Shokef and the Hai-Bar (near Moshav Nir Etzion)," Rakia told the TV news.
Rakia said the world's largest firefighting plane, the American Evergreen Super Tanker, had joined 33 foreign planes in dousing the flames.
In a show of solidarity with residents in the North, the government held its weekly Cabinet meeting in the town of Tirat Carmel, to discuss the situation and assess the damage and compensation needed.
