“The fires are continuing, the war continues, and we fear that the forests will continue to burn,” says Shelli Ben Yishai, director of the Northern Region of Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael – Jewish National Fund.
KKL-JNF, which has been developing the land of Israel and strengthening the bond between the Jewish people and its homeland since 1901, is today engaged in a difficult struggle – maintaining the Galilee during Hezbollah’s attacks on northern Israel.
Israel’s north is burning. This is how you can help>>
Ben Yishai recounts what has happened since the beginning of the war. “In the first month of the war, there was a large fire caused by Hamas missiles and drones in the Reches HaSulam Reserve Forest near Rosh Hanikra that burned 1,200 dunams and a fire in the Naftali Mountains Forest near Kiryat Shemona that burned 350 dunams.”
During the winter, he says, Hezbollah fire quieted somewhat, and KKL-JNF foresters and firefighters, who had to deal with numerous fires during the 2006 Lebanon War, hoped that the hot summer would be calm.
Unfortunately, rocket fire and drone launches by Hezbollah have increased in the past two months. The entire Naftali Mountain Forest and areas to the south have burned, including the Naftali Vineyard Forest, the Biriya Forest, the Meron Forest, and others. All told, reports Ben Yishai, 16,500 dunams of forest land have been destroyed. Ben Yishai estimates that it is likely that there are many more thousands of destroyed forest land that are currently closed military areas that KKL-JNF cannot access.
KKL-JNF foresters are busy maintaining roads and access points throughout the North, explains Ben Yishai, trimming trees and bushes to enable firefighters to quickly reach areas that have been set on fire by rockets and drones.
“We are prepared for all scenarios,” says Ben Yishai, who points out that KKL-JNF will send support from other areas of the country when needed. For example, several weeks ago, when a fire broke out in the Biriya Forest, KKL-JNF brought fire trucks from the south and center of the country to put out the fire.
Israel’s north is burning. This is how you can help>>
“I am proud of our team,” says Ben Yishai. “They have great determination, and they care. “We saved many areas in the Galilee from being burned.” He singles out KKL-JNF firefighting teams that work while missiles are falling and sirens blaring with nowhere to hide in the forest.
After the war, says Ben Yishai, thousands of dunams of the Galilee will need to be repaired and rehabilitated. Restoring the forest to its original state can take between ten and fifteen years and is a long and arduous process.
“Israel is a very small country,” says Ben Yishai, “with a growing population. Open areas are shrinking, and we must fight to keep every dunam of land from burning.”
As Israel is fighting a war on two fronts, help KKL-JNF save and rehabilitate Israel’s North. Click here to give generously.
This article was written in cooperation with KKL-JNF.