Spring in Israel symbolizes renewed growth, including in parts of the Shfela and Jerusalem Hills that suffered a wave of massive wildfires exactly one year ago and are now beginning to recover.
Areas that were almost entirely burned, including Canada Park, Eshtaol Forest, the Burma Road and the Martyrs’ Forest, are being colored once again with fresh green growth, young vegetation and a gradual sense of life returning.
The Jerusalem Hills after the fire
(Video: Chen Kalifa Levi)
The fires, which consumed some 18,500 dunams, spread under extreme weather conditions: temperatures of about 40 degrees Celsius, humidity below 10% and strong winds reaching up to 60 kilometers per hour. The flames advanced rapidly and even jumped over one road for a distance of about 1.5 kilometers.
The heaviest damage was recorded in pine and eucalyptus forests, while in areas with orchards and low vegetation, the intensity of the fire and the damage were more moderate.
KKL-JNF, which manages 80% of the affected area, began rehabilitation work in the first days after the fires. In the first stage, burned trees were removed from central areas, including public roads and parking lots. Safety work was also carried out to remove hazards along the Burma Road and in Eshtaol Forest parking areas.
The clearing and treatment work is now expected to expand to service roads and secondary trails. In total, the work covers an area of about 7,300 dunams. At the same time, nature is recovering impressively. Grass, shrubs and even seedlings of new trees are already visible in the area.
KKL-JNF will carry out careful ecological monitoring and supervise animal grazing for about three years to allow vegetation to take root. Decisions on new planting will be made only after in-depth surveys, based on the understanding that in many cases nature knows how to rehabilitate itself in the best possible way.
“We are committed not only to restoring what was damaged, but to building forests that are more resilient for the future,” said KKL-JNF Chairman Eyal Ostrovsky. “Nature proves its strength, and we are here to support it and ensure its continued existence for generations to come.”