Northern Israeli Blazes Under Control, More Than 2,500 Acres Burnt

Jerusalem, 4 June, 2024 (TPS) -- Firefighters battling wildfires in northern Israel overnight brought most of the blazes under control, Israel’s Fire and Rescue Services said on Tuesday morning. The fires were sparked the day before by rockets and drones launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon the day before.

Thirty crews raced to prevent flames from spreading to homes and businesses in the mostly-evacuated city of Kiryat Shmona and nearby agricultural communities, and in the Golan Heights.

The Fire Brigade said several homes and yards were damaged in Kiryat Shmona. Crews managed to keep the flames from reaching Metula, Kibbutz Kfar Giladi, Kibbutz Amiad, Moshav Margaliot, Moshav Kahal, and on Mount Adir. In the Golan, firefighters battled blazes in the areas of Katzrin and Keren Naftali.

Other fires sparked by shrapnel from the rockets broke out as far west as Shlomi and as far south as Kibbutz Mevo Hama by the Sea of Galilee.

The Israel Defense Forces assisted firefighters. Six reservists and five civilians were treated for smoke inhalation.

According to the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority, 2,500 acres of land in the Golan, including nature reserves, were completely burnt.

“Most of what is burned is grass. This year was a very rainy year and the grass has grown significantly. At the moment, when the grass dries, it ignites easily, so more and more fires are expected, and the situation may get worse,” said Dr. Yehoshua Shakdi, the authority’s chief scientist.

Around 60,000 Israelis living in northern communities were forced to evacuate in October when the Hezbollah terror organization began daily rocket and drone attacks. Leaders of the Iran-backed terror group have said they will continue the attacks to prevent Israelis from returning to their homes. Since October 7, the Hezbollah attacks have killed 10 civilians and 14 soldiers.

Israeli officials have been calling for Hezbollah to be disarmed and removed from Southern Lebanon in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War.