Israel is bracing for a heatwave due to begin on Thursday and expected last through next week, with extreme temperatures expected throughout the country and high humidity levels forecast for the coastal areas.
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The extreme heat will be felt across the country; temperatures in the Jordan Rift Valley will reach up to 45°C. Humidity is forecast to be very high in the coastal and lower areas of Israel.
Due to the expected heatwave, the Nature and Parks Authority announced a ban on lighting fires in all nature reserves and national parks out of a fear of sparking dangerous wildfires. The ban will be in effect starting Wednesday until Sunday. KKL-JNF also announced a ban on lighting fires in all forests, at least until Sunday.
The Nature and Parks Authority also announced that sections of the Israel National Trail will be closed from Wednesday until Sunday, and suggested that hikers take alternative paths or begin traveling again on Sunday.
All hiking routes in the Judean Hills have also been closed down. Hiking routes in the Judean Desert and the Jordan Valley will be closed as well.
The authority added that in the coming days it is possible to visit sites where hiking trails aren’t too long, with plentiful shade and access to water and drinking fountains.