Nature in northern Israel is paying a heavy price as forest fires sparked by Hezbollah rocket attacks destroy vast tracts of woodland, causing irreparable harm to local wildlife.
In the Upper Galilee’s Biriya Forest these days, charred and barren trees dot the landscape. Blackened soil and scattered rocks show the steps of the wildfire’s advance. In the distance, a few trees still cling to life with browned and scorched foliage hinting at what once thrived here.
“This is the biggest challenge in the restoration of forests after the fires since the Second Lebanon War in 2006,” says Shali Ben Yishai, director of the Northern Region of Keren Kayemet LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund.
The once-lush forests of Northern Israel, home to diverse bird species and rich ecosystems have been ravaged by fires sparked by explosions and shrapnel from Hezbollah’s rockets and explosive drones. The nearby forests of Bar’am and Meron endure equally severe damage.