Some 247 acres of forest were set ablaze in northern Israel's Biriya Forest on Wednesday, after a man cut metal using a blowtorch near a military base, a joint IDF and Jewish National Fund investigation revealed. The fire spread quickly.
Investigators initially suspected the fire was the result of arson.
"The fire went up the mountain, and it quickly kindled a large area of Biriya Forest," said Aviram Zuk, head of the Upper Galilee and Golan Heights regions for the Jewish National Fund. "The strong winds raging in the area fanned the flames that burnt for hours."
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit said solider who spotted the civilian reported the case to the JNF and gave the fund his details. Dozens of residents were asked to evacuate their homes due to the thick smoke and fear of spreading, and were only allowed to return hours later.
Zuk said Wednesday's fires were the largest to be seen in the area since the Second Lebanon War, and that many animals living in the forest may not have had the chance to escape, and those remaining have lost large grazing areas.
According to Zuk, there has been a rise in the number of arson cases in the area recently. "The reasons vary, there are those that just enjoy it, there are disputes over grazing areas, and there are other factors," he said.
Rehabilitating about 1,200 square yards of forest will cost between NIS 2,000 ($510) and NIS 2,500 ($638), and the JNF is preparing for the possibility that the fires may be renewed due to high temperatures on Thursday.