The Israeli news website Ynet reported that large numbers of firefighters have been deployed to the affected areas, where fires have spread dangerously close to housing units in northern Kiryat Shmona. Residents in the settlements of Kiryat Shmona and Margaliot were ordered to evacuate as the blazes rapidly spread across the wilderness.
Local authorities in Kiryat Shmona are conducting house-to-house visits to ensure that all settlers evacuate the area. As of 8:00 pm local time, authorities informed media outlets that the fire had reached the northern part of Kiryat Shmona. Fire crews, along with settlers, are fighting to contain the high flames encircling the settlement.
In the occupied Golan and al-Jalil regions, 15 fire hotspots have been reported, exacerbated by particularly high temperatures. These persistent blazes continue to threaten colonial outposts.
The raging fires have led Israeli authorities to block the main road connecting the north to the rest of the Israeli-occupied territories. Fires were also recorded in Metulla, Kfar Giladi, Keren Naftali, Elifelt, Mavo Hama, Netor, Tel Saki, and Shlomi in Western al-Jalil.
In Kfar Giladi, a local council member expressed frustration with the situation, stating, "We are here alone, the fire has taken hold of the kibbutz's avocado orchard and is threatening to burn down the hotel."
The ongoing fires and resulting evacuations highlight the urgent need for effective fire management and emergency response strategies in the region, as high temperatures and volatile conditions persist. (ILKHA)