These fires, and many others in recent years, were amplified by extreme weather and, in northern Israel, by wartime missile strikes igniting dry terrain.

By Sveta Listratov, TPS

Despite a rising threat of wildfires, Israeli preparedness is inadequate, said a report released by the State Comptroller on Tuesday.

“The 33,500 wildfires recorded in 2024, alongside the fact that the government has funded fire buffer zones in only nine out of 81 high-risk areas, reflect a serious failure in Israel’s preparedness for wildfire outbreaks,” State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman wrote on the report’s findings.

The State Comptroller, also known as the State Ombudsman, periodically releases reports auditing Israeli preparedness and the effectiveness of government policies.

Since the devastating fires of 2016, which burned over 41,000 dunams (41 sq. km) of land and caused hundreds of millions of shekels in damages, Israeli authorities have repeatedly pledged to bolster local preparedness.

But the 2025 follow-up audit shows that most of the promised regulatory tools — including binding safety protocols and designated “buffer zones” between communities and forests — have never been formally approved or funded.

The government did launch a national program in 2022, allocating NIS 65 million ($19.4 million) over five years to reduce wildfire risk in high-threat zones.

But only one-third of the required funding has materialized, and so far, just nine out of 81 top-risk areas have received support.

Meanwhile, local municipalities are expected to handle the risk on their own — without clear authority or sufficient budgets, Englman reportd.

In April 2025 alone, fires in the Judean Hills scorched nearly 30,000 dunams (30 sq. km). Firefighters reported multiple injuries and extensive environmental damage.

These fires, and many others in recent years, were amplified by extreme weather and, in northern Israel, by wartime missile strikes igniting dry terrain.

According to the Fire and Rescue Authority, over 200,000 dunams (200 sq. km) of forest and brush burned during the current war period.

“The blaze on Independence Day was a glaring warning sign — we were one step away from a major disaster,” Englman noted.

Experts say this convergence of threats — hotter temperatures, drier seasons, and security-linked fires — demands immediate, coordinated action.

Yet comptroller’s report painted a picture of bureaucratic gridlock: the Fire Authority has no power to enforce its own safety guidelines, and ministries keep deflecting responsibility over budget constraints.

Englman warned that further delays in formalizing and funding fire prevention measures could cost lives and devastate entire communities.

“The Prime Minister, the Minister of National Security, and the Minister of the Interior must draw the necessary lessons and ensure that all relevant bodies are fully prepared,” saida the report.

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Hot or cold? Israelis have options for how to enjoy the winter months in the Golan Heights, ranging from the fresh snow in the Mount Hermon slopes to one of the most guarded secrets — the hot springs at the foot of the dormant Mount Bental volcano.

The post WATCH: The Golan Heights’ best-kept secret appeared first on World Israel News.

Just inches from its highest level in 20 years, the Kinneret’s biggest fans remain barred from its shores due to current travel restrictions.

By JNS

The Sea of Galilee, ‘Kinneret’ in Hebrew, was less than five inches from its maximum capacity on Sunday—its highest level in two decades—but due to restrictions on travel because of the coronavirus pandemic, its beaches remain empty.

Spring is typically a busy time at Israel’s largest freshwater source, with travelers coming from across the country and beyond to enjoy the large lake, rejuvenated by winter rains, and visit the many tourist sites in the area.

The Kinneret today provides some 25 percent of Israel’s drinking water and was once considered endangered due to Israel’s growing water needs, the dryness of the region and concern that the delicate ecological balance of the freshwater sea would be thrown out of balance, leading it to become impotable.

Concerns reached a fever pitch just three years ago when the Kinneret reached its lowest level in a century—212.95 meters (698 feet) below sea level.

That led Israel to create desalination plants along the Mediterranean coast, beginning in 1997.

Today, some 585 million cubic meters of seawater per year are desalinated in Israel: the Soreq plant provides 150 million cubic meters per year, the Hadera plant 127 million, the Ashkelon plant 118 million, the Palmachim plant 90 million and the Ashdod plant 100 million, according to Israel’s Ministry of Finance.

The Kinneret now stands at 208.92 meters below sea level, a rise of 13.22 feet in just three years.

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The abundant precipitation that continues to fall in the north and around the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret) has not been seen for several years.

Since Sunday, the freshwater lake, which last year reached a dangerously low water level to due many years of drought, rose by 21 cm. In the last 24 hours alone, it rose by 11 cm., as the rainfall continues.

The post WATCH: Stormy weather godsend for Israel’s water supply appeared first on World Israel News.

Israeli park rangers rescued a female turtle found on the Ashkelon beach on Friday, following a massive storm that raged along the coast the previous day.

The post WATCH: Israeli park rangers rescue storm-beached turtle appeared first on World Israel News.

Two children, aged six and nine, and a 70-year-old man suffering from hypothermia were rescued from the roof of a jeep as Israel’s worst storm of the season struck Friday.

The post WATCH: Two children, elderly man rescued during Israel’s worst storm of season appeared first on World Israel News.