| November 2016 Israel fires | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Date(s) | 22–27 November 2016 |
| Location | Various regions in Israel, mainly in Haifa, Judaean Mountains and the Sharon Plain. |
| Coordinates | 32°46′19″N 35°01′08″E / 32.772082°N 35.018761°E |
| Statistics | |
| Burned area | 30,000–41,000 dunams (30–41 km2; 12–16 sq mi) |
| Land use | Residential; Open space |
| Impacts | |
| Non-fatal injuries |
|
| Structures destroyed |
|
| Damage | ₪500,000,000 |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | Arson, negligence, weather conditions |
| Map | |
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In November 2016, a wave of wildfires and urban fires occurred in Israel from Beersheva in the south to Nahariya in the north.[1][2] Some of the fires occurred naturally; others were arson attacks.[3] On November 28, after eight days of fire fighting, the firefighting services announced that the emergency condition was over. Firefighters fought 1,773 fires, at least 39 were reported as major fires that required at least ten crews or more.[4] The largest fire occurred in Haifa, where 527 apartments were destroyed among 77 buildings, leaving 1,600 people homeless.[5] Some 75,000 residents, about a quarter of the city's population, were evacuated from eleven neighborhoods.[6][7] Other major fires occurred in Zikhron Ya'akov and in the Jerusalem area, as well as smaller fires throughout Israel and the West Bank. Israel's Nature and Parks Authority reported that more than 20,000 dunams (4,900 acres) of forests, brush land, and open space were burnt, the largest amount since the Mount Carmel forest fire (2010).[8]
While most of the fires were caused by weather conditions and negligence, some of the fires were caused by arsonists suspected of being nationally motivated Arabs. Two Arab citizens of Israel confessed they deliberately set fires. At least 35 people were arrested on suspicion of setting fires or inciting to do so. More than 15 were citizens of the Palestinian Authority and at least 10 were Arab citizens of Israel. Officials in Israel have stated that the deliberate setting of fires is a form of terrorism.[9] As of November 28, at least 25 fires were suspected to have been caused by arson.[4]
On January 13, 2017, the Israeli fire investigation's "Gal Report" found that of 80 fires, 71 resulted from arson.[10] On April 4, 2017, the head of the Israeli fire investigation unit declared: "The fires were acts of terrorism committed by members of the Arab population against the Jewish population. Ninety percent of the fires were caused by arson."[11]
- ^ "26-22 בנובמבר 2016: סיכום אירועי השריפות ברחבי הארץ".
- ^ Friedson, Yael; Rabad, Ahia (27 November 2016). "חמישה ימי אש: כ-180 נפגעים, יותר מ-560 דירות נשרפו, כ-30 עצורים [Five days of fire: about 180 hurt, more than 560 apartments destroyed, 30 suspects arrested". Ynet (in Hebrew).
- ^ Wootliff, Raoul (29 November 2016). "Heralding state compensation, arson confirmed in several major fires". Times of Israel. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
- ^ a b Kubovich, Yaniv (28 November 2016). "Firefighting services go back to normal, after over 1,700 fires in 8 days". Haaretz.
- ^ Rabad, Ahia (27 November 2016). "חיפה: 527 דירות אינן ראויות למגורים, יותר מ-1,600 דיירים נותרו ללא בית [Haifa: 527 apartments not habitable, more than 1,600 homeless]". Ynet (in Hebrew).
- ^ Winer, Straut; Rabinowitz, Gavin (24 November 2016). "Israelis reach out to Haifa's 75,000 fire-ravaged homeless". Times of Israel.
- ^ Kershner, Isabel (24 November 2016). "As Wildfires Rage, Israel Suggests Arson and Asks for Foreign Help". New York Times.
- ^ Rinat, Zafrir (27 November 2016). "Israeli Blazes Damage Almost as Much Land as 2010 Carmel Fire". Haaretz.
- ^ "2 Israeli Arabs confess to starting wildfires — report". Times of Israel. 27 November 2016.
- ^ "דוח גל השריפות קובע: כמעט כל השריפות שנחקרו נגרמו מהצתה".
- ^ "ראש מחלקת חקירות בכיבוי אש שובר שתיקה: "השריפות בנובמבר – טרור"". mida. 4 April 2017.