Israel’s government has accused arsonists of sparking half of a wave of wildfires that has paralysed parts of the country and forced 60,000 people to evacuate from their homes.

The flames began on Tuesday but have grown more powerful because of dry weather and strong winds and by Thursday fires were raging inside the port city of Haifa.

No one has been killed by the fires but several dozen people were taken to hospital and eight neighbourhoods were evacuated inside Haifa, a city of 270,000 people.

“We’re in a state of war,” a Haifa fire brigade spokesman said as flames threatened to consume several of the city’s tower blocks.