Approximately 800 dunams out of 20,000 dunams of the Biriya Forest located near Safed were set ablaze following Hezbollah's rocket fire in the area.
This region, which was also damaged during the Second Lebanon War, had undergone extensive rehabilitation. Jewish National Fund (JNF) workers and foresters deployed a drone to document the severe damage.
Eli Hafuta, director of the Upper Galilee and Golan Region at JNF, expressed his sorrow. "There is great sadness over everything we nurtured since the Second Lebanon War. Almost everything was lost in just two hours of fire. This represents 18 years of daily investment," he said.
He described the impact of the fires on the forest. "Most of the year, the foresters see a green and blooming forest. In the summer, sometimes fires break out, and parts of the forest burn. Then, we start all over again. This is an unusual event. Typically, we can quickly control fires in the Biriya Forest. In this case, an interceptor exploded over the forest, scattering fragments that ignited many spots. This developed into a significant fire, fueled by uncharacteristic winds, heatwave conditions, low humidity and strong winds – resulting in these severe consequences."
Birya Forest aftermath
(Video: Jewish National Fund)
During the Second Lebanon War, Hafuta was in JNF's engineering equipment unit and volunteered to extinguish fires in the Western Galilee. "In the last five years, we've experienced large fires in the Naftali Mountains due to military activities. The recent rocket impacts and interceptions are the sole causes of these fires," he said. "Every rocket fall an interception results in a fire. In winter, everything is green and wet. From May 15, when everything dries out, every rocket fall in the forest guarantees a fire."
He added that each forester’s truck is equipped with a water tank, pump and hose for initial fire response. "If you extinguish the fire in the first few minutes, it's resolved," he said.
JNF is also using engineering tools to combat the forest fires. "For 15 years, we've been creating buffer zones around communities and bases," Hafuta said. "These buffer zones around the communities have saved many from fires."
Since the start of the war, approximately 10,000 acres of forest managed by JNF have burned. Experts estimate the actual number is higher, exceeding 14,000 acres, as they cannot access all forest areas. The affected areas include Rosh Hanikra, Hanita, the Naftali Mountain Range, Nabi Yusha Forest, Biriya Forest, Ammiad Forest, and Katzrin Forest.