Forestry crews from Keren Kayemet Israel (KKL-JNF) and the Israel Fire and Rescue Services battled at least 176 separate forest fires across Israel on Saturday, amid a severe heat wave that heard all over the country.
In the north of the country alone, 53 fires had to be put out on Saturday. The coastal area suffered 32 fires, the Jerusalem area 28, the south 24, the central region 22, while the West Bank suffered 14 fires throughout the day.
Near Acre, traffic was diverted from the Acre East intersection due to thick smoke from a nearby forest fire, according to an Israel Police spokesman. Later, the fire was controlled.
Fire and Rescue Services listed five large fires across the country throughout the morning.
To the north, a grass fire spread to Mount Turan and a nearby kibbutz. Eight planes from the Elad fire brigade have arrived at the scene to contain the fire alongside four land teams protecting the line of houses.
Firefighters said the fire was under control, about four and a half hours after the first reports of its spread. Firefighters successfully diverted the flames away from the nearby kibbutz of Beit Rimon.
The area where the fire broke out in Kibbutz Karmiya, caused by a “poyke” pot. May 27, 2023. (credit: ISRAEL FIRE AND RESUCE SERVICES)
North of Ailot, a medium-sized fire spread to the houses of a village, probably as a result of a fire that spread in a landfill. Four crews from the Nof HaGalil fire station worked to contain the fire.
A large fire threatened Kibbutz Karmiya
To the south, at Kibbutz Karmiya near the Gaza Strip, six crews accompanied by four aircraft worked to extinguish a large grass fire that spread to the kibbutz’s greenhouses. Citizens and hikers who were in the Karmiya forest were evacuated from the site with the help of the Israeli police. The forces worked in cooperation with KKL firefighting teams and with the help of heavy engineering from the army. In the evening, the fire was brought under control.
“This is a very large fire in which we operate with a significant force and with the help of other bodies,” described the situation the head of the Fire and Rescue Service team at the scene. “There is also an Israel Police observation helicopter at the scene and I am currently doing an aerial assessment of the situation to get a clearer picture of the situation. Fortunately, until at this stage, there have been no casualties and we were able to evacuate all citizens from the area with the assistance of the Israel Police.”
Towards the evening, the Fire and Rescue Department announced the preliminary results of an investigation into the causes of the fire. According to the statement, a group of about 100 people had gathered in a field for a game of airsoft and then lit two fires in an open, grassy area for barbecuing. These fires got out of control and caused the largest fire.
Three of the group were detained for questioning on suspicion of arson and breaching the no-fire order in the area. Two cars belonging to members of the group were completely burnt.
A fire breaks out near Kibbutz Kfar Etzion on May 27, 2023 (Israel Fire and Rescue Service).
In the afternoon, a fire broke out near Kibbutz Kfar Etzion in the West Bank. It is suspected that the fire started in several places at the same time.
“Firefighters from the Yehuda Regional Station worked some time ago on a fire in the ‘Mukhtar Chair’ grove near Kibbutz Kfar Etzion,” said Tamir Erez, commander of the Yehuda Regional Station of the Israel fire and rescue service.
“The Yehuda regional station was reinforced today with additional teams following the decision of the Israel Fire and Rescue Commissioner to raise the alert level and reinforce the stations. Upon receiving the message, many teams went at the scene and from a distance they noticed heavy smoke, and the fact that the fire was in an inaccessible area, due to the conditions of the terrain, and the spread of the fire with the help of strong winds, they launch a pair of firefighting aircraft from the ‘Elad’ squadron which assisted in the efforts to put out the fire.”
In the center of the country, in the village of Tzur Moshe, near Netanya, a grass fire spread to the first row of houses in the village, as a result of which residents were evacuated from their homes. Four planes have been sent to the scene and have helped to stop the spread of the fire in coordination with the ground teams. The Fire and Rescue Department reported that as of 1:00 p.m. there was no perceived danger to nearby homes.
On the beach, a grass fire spread to the village of Mazraa. The first row of houses has been evacuated and no casualties have been reported. Firefighters prepare to take control of the fire.
Statements from the police and fire brigade
Police asked everyone to avoid the fire areas while firefighters worked to control the fire and locate all travelers in the area.
The public was asked to obey all orders given by the fire commissioner and, in particular, not to light fires in parks, forests, nature reserves and gardens.
