The newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth" has revealed that the rockets and shells fired by Hezbollah at northern Israel have resulted in the burning of more than 12,800 acres of forests in the Golan Heights and the Upper Galilee. The source noted that a significant portion of these fires broke out in the past two weeks. According to data from the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority, the areas that suffered the most damage so far are located in the Upper Galilee (approximately 7,400 acres) and the Golan Heights (approximately 5,500 acres). About half of the burned area lies within nature reserves and national parks, while the other half consists of open spaces and forests.
The newspaper quoted Amit Dolif, an ecologist in the northern region of the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority, stating that "it is unclear what the lasting effects of these fires will be." He added, "The ecosystem has been dealing with fires for thousands of years, but their intensity and frequency have now increased. We still do not know the long-term consequences." Dolif continued, "Plants usually regenerate by the next year, and many trees recover after the fire, but some, like cypress and pine trees, do not. Given the violent and widespread fighting we are witnessing today, the scale of the fires is considerable, and we cannot access most areas."
In the same context, Eiran Haimes, the director of the Upper Galilee area in the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority, said, "Thousands of acres have burned, and we know that some areas burned with intense flames while others less so." Haimes added, "Ultimately, every area that burns also destroys the habitat of wildlife and plants. We try to reach the center of the fire as quickly as possible once the fire starts, but it is important to understand that our work is carried out in areas where the rockets fall."
