Israeli Authorities Say Arson ‘Isn’t Out of the Question’ as Thousands of Acres Go Up in Smoke
Firefighters report that wildfires in central Israel jumped hundreds of meters, burning 20,000 dunams and devastating Park Canada. Suspected arson and extreme weather worsen the crisis, prompting evacuations and global aid efforts
A series of wildfires erupted across central and western Israel on Wednesday, consuming more than 20,000 dunams (roughly 5,000 acres) of forests, farmland, and open terrain. With dry weather, high temperatures, and strong winds, flames spread rapidly across multiple fronts, overwhelming emergency services and leading to mass evacuations. Among the worst-affected areas is Park Canada near Latrun, a beloved green space that has now been largely reduced to ash.
“This is a fire on an enormous scale,” Anat Gold, director of the Central District for Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL), said to The Media Line. “The fire expanded very quickly because of the dry winter, dry weather, and strong winds. We’re still in the middle of the incident, but what we know now is that at least half of the 20,000 dunams affected were forest areas.”
It’s one of the most beautiful, beloved parks in the country. People come there from all over. For many, it’s like a second home. To see it go up in smoke—it’s very emotional for us. We’ve managed this forest for years.
The loss of Park Canada is especially symbolic. “It’s one of the most beautiful, beloved parks in the country,” Gold said. “People come there from all over. For many, it’s like a second home. To see it go up in smoke—it’s very emotional for us. We’ve managed this forest for years.”
KKL, which is responsible for forest and land management across Israel, has begun assessing the damage while planning for long-term recovery. However, Gold cautioned that restoration won’t be immediate. “It’s still too early to speak about the cost or the timeline,” she said. “First, we allow natural regeneration to begin. Only later, we intervene with planting or additional support. But forests take many years to come back, sometimes decades. Some of the areas may never be the same.”
Gold also emphasized that climate change has changed the way the organization thinks about forestry. “We’re already adapting our planning,” she said. “We use native species, we manage the land to reduce fire risk, we thin out dry brush—but in the end, we need the public to also be responsible. Most fires start from human carelessness, not from nature.”
The fire response was rapid but strained. Israel’s Fire and Rescue Authority dispatched hundreds of units across multiple fronts. The IDF and police closed major roads and helped evacuate villages. Despite the scale of the crisis, no fatalities were reported.
We knew from the forecast it would be a very hard day—hot, dry, with very strong wind. By 9 a.m., we had alerts coming in near Road 38. The fire spread fast to the north, and then west toward Latrun and nearby areas. It became clear that this wasn’t going to be an ordinary event.
“We knew from the forecast it would be a very hard day—hot, dry, with very strong wind,” Prof. Alon Ben-Nun, chief medical officer of the Israel Fire and Rescue Authority, told The Media Line. “By 9 a.m., we had alerts coming in near Road 38. The fire spread fast to the north, and then west toward Latrun and nearby areas. It became clear that this wasn’t going to be an ordinary event.”
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Ben-Nun described scenes where flames jumped hundreds of meters over Route 1, Israel’s main highway to Jerusalem. “Many cars were trapped. Some caught fire. We had to work with the police to evacuate everyone quickly. It could have ended very badly. Fortunately, there were no casualties.”
Twenty-one of our firefighters had minor injuries. Most of them went back to work after treatment. They worked through the night. It was very hard—hot air, strong wind, and thick smoke. You could barely breathe.
He also noted the physical toll on emergency responders: “Twenty-one of our firefighters had minor injuries. Most of them went back to work after treatment. They worked through the night. It was very hard—hot air, strong wind, and thick smoke. You could barely breathe.”
Israel’s national firefighting service was created in the wake of the 2010 Carmel fire disaster, when 44 people died. Ben-Nun said the new system is much more coordinated, but still under-resourced.
“We now have a strong national organization. We know how to move units from the north, the south, wherever they’re needed. The cooperation with the army and the air force is much better now,” he said. “But the numbers are not enough. We have 500 firefighters per million people. In the US, it’s more than 1,000. We need more funding, more equipment, and more trained people.”
With the professional forces stretched thin, civilian volunteers played a key supporting role. One of the major actors was Shomer HaChadash, an NGO that usually works with farmers and land protection but quickly pivoted to emergency support.
As soon as we understood the size of the fires, we launched a national campaign. We recruited existing volunteers and new ones. They helped with patrols to spot new fires, reported fire directions to the authorities, and supported evacuations. Some helped local municipalities with logistics.
“As soon as we understood the size of the fires, we launched a national campaign,” Guy Globerman, the organization’s director, explained. “We recruited existing volunteers and new ones. They helped with patrols to spot new fires, reported fire directions to the authorities, and supported evacuations. Some helped local municipalities with logistics.”
Globerman stressed that all activities were conducted in coordination with state bodies. “No one should go out on their own. Everything must be authorized and controlled. We worked closely with the fire service and police. Safety comes first.”
For Globerman, this crisis underlines a deeper need. “Too many people sit at home and just watch videos or read posts online. But this country needs more than that. We need people who are ready to take responsibility—not just during disasters, but every day. To help a farmer, to support a small town. That’s what we stand for.”
Even as firefighters worked to suppress the remaining hotspots, Israeli authorities began to investigate the possibility that some of the fires were set deliberately. According to multiple reports, individuals in East Jerusalem were detained for possessing fire-starting materials. Social media posts praising the fires have also drawn attention from security agencies.
At a public appearance on Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that 18 people have been arrested so far on suspicion of helping to ignite the fires, and stated that “one of whom was caught in the act” of arson. Speaking at the annual International Bible Contest in Jerusalem, he described the blaze as “not a simple thing,” citing the dual toll on both nature and people. While the Fire and Rescue Services have not officially confirmed the cause of the fires, Netanyahu’s remarks indicate that authorities are treating at least some of the incidents as criminal in nature.
I can’t say for sure, but we know from experience that fire has been used in the past as a weapon against Israel. It’s not unrealistic. If someone is willing to launch rockets at civilians, then starting a fire isn’t out of the question.
“I can’t say for sure,” said Ben-Nun, “but we know from experience that fire has been used in the past as a weapon against Israel. It’s not unrealistic. If someone is willing to launch rockets at civilians, then starting a fire isn’t out of the question.”
Today, much of the fire was under control, but the threat has not fully passed. Weather forecasts continue to warn of high temperatures and shifting winds, both of which could reignite dormant embers. Foreign firefighting aircraft from Italy, Croatia, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom are now assisting Israeli crews.
“We still have some active zones,” said Gold. “But the winds have changed direction, which helps. The cooperation between all fronts—government, military, civil society—has been excellent.”
Ben-Nun echoed that assessment. “It’s not over, but we’re in a better place today than we were yesterday, but we need to monitor this situation closely. The planes coming from abroad will help us more, and hopefully tomorrow the emergency will be over.”
