Israeli leaders criticized over deadly 2010 Carmel forest fire

Published on June 20, 2012

Israeli leaders were sharply criticized in a government watchdog's report on Wednesday into emergency services' lack of preparedness for a 2010 forest fire that killed 44 people, but there were no calls for dismissal.

Monument to Carmel fire victims unveiled at memorial

Published on December 19, 2011

A monument to the 44 people killed in last year's Carmel forest fire was unveiled at a memorial ceremony.

Israeli gov’t officials blamed in Carmel fire report

Published on August 15, 2011

A draft report on last year's Carmel forest fire criticizes top government officials for failures that led to 44 deaths and massive damage.

Netanyahu heckled at Carmel fire memorial

Published on January 5, 2011

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was heckled and an Israeli government minister was forced to leave a state memorial ceremony for the 44 people killed in the Carmel fire. The relatives and friends at Wednesday's memorial at Kibbutz Beit Oren, which sustained damage in the fire, allowed President Shimon Peres to speak but began heckling Netanyahu when he began his turn. Bodyguards had to protect Netanyahu as some of the hecklers advanced toward the stage. The hecklers blamed Netanyahu for the fire and their relatives' deaths.

Criminal investigation won’t be opened into Carmel fire

Published on December 27, 2010

Israel's attorney general will not open a criminal investigation into the Carmel fire.

How the Hai-Bar animals were rescued from fire

Published on December 22, 2010

Persian fallow deer now graze peacefully in their enclosures at the Carmel Hai-Bar Nature Reserve as ranger/caretaker Yakoub Makladeh feeds them nutritional pellets from a metal bucket. Earlier this month, the lives of these rare animals were in jeopardy for four days as flames from Israel’s historic Carmel fire threatened the reserve nestled in the mountains outside Haifa. The vulture cage was destroyed; flames licked the fences of the deer enclosures, and the surrounding terrain is now ashen. “Thursday, Dec. 2, around 11 a.m., we saw smoke coming from the direction of Isfiya, a Druze village south of our Hai-Bar location,” Makladeh remembers. “The animals already sensed something was wrong and were acting nervous.”

USAID ends fire assistance

Published on December 14, 2010

The United States Agency for International Development completed its forest fire assistance to Israel. USAID wrapped up operations in Israel on Dec. 10, a statement released Monday said.

In fire’s wake, lessons learned, friendships found

Published on December 8, 2010

First, of course, are the dead and the injured. Almost all of them young, in a training program for prison guards, trapped in a bus, incinerated. Who by fire? That, says the prayer, God decides: “On Rosh Hashanah it is inscribed, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed: How many shall pass away and how many shall be born, who shall live and who shall die, who in the fullness of time and who before his time, who shall perish by water and who by fire, who by sword and who by wild beast, who by famine and who by thirst, who by earthquake and who by plague, who by strangulation and who by stoning, who shall have rest and who shall wander, who shall be at peace and who shall be pursued, who shall be at rest and who shall be tormented, who shall be exalted and who shall be brought low, who shall become rich and who shall be impoverished. But repentance, prayer and righteousness transform the severity of the decree.”

Displaced children face renewed trauma

By Julie Gruenbaum Fax
Published on December 8, 2010

A standout among the many tragedies of the Carmel fires is the severe damage to the Yemin Orde Youth Village in Northern Israel, which has displaced all of its residents — nearly 500 children originally from Ethiopia, the former Soviet Union and other countries, as well as Israeli-born children who moved to the school from dysfunctional homes. The fire destroyed nearly 20 buildings, including the library, children’s homes, some classrooms, staff housing and a special unit for the youngest children, and many other buildings were damaged on the 77-acre campus atop Mount Carmel.

Fire's devastation can lead to positive change

Published on December 7, 2010

It is hard to explain just how devastated Israelis are by the Carmel fire. But it is easier to explain how that devastation can become a positive force for positive change, right now, in Israel.

Netanyahu, Peres honor foreign rescue workers

Published on December 7, 2010

Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu honored foreign rescue and fire fighting delegations that assisted in putting out the Carmel Forest fire.

Teen who admitted starting fire is released

Published on December 7, 2010

The teen arrested after admitting to starting the Carmel Forest fire was released from police custody to house arrest.

L.A. pizza and carepackages reached fire’s frontlines

By Julie Gruenbaum Fax
Published on December 6, 2010

Shawn Evenhaim and Shoham Nicolet were both officers in the Israeli army, so they know what it means to be able to sit down during a ten-minute break in action on the field and open a package with some snacks and towelettes and a personal letter from someone overseas thanking you for protecting the Jewish homeland.

Teen arrested after admitting to starting Israeli fire

Published on December 6, 2010

A 14-year-old resident of the Druze village of Ussfiya was arrested after admitting to starting the fire that destroyed much of the Carmel Forest.

Top Haifa cop the latest victim of Carmel fire

Published on December 6, 2010

The number of Israelis killed in a massive fire in the Carmel Forest rose to 42 with the death of Haifa Police Chief Ahuva Tomer.

Carmel wildfire nearing its end, minister says

Published on December 5, 2010

Israel is close to dousing the Carmel wildfire that has devastated thousands of acres of land in the north, Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch said on Sunday.

Israel fire update: Uncontrolled, 42 dead, 17,000 evacuated

Published on December 3, 2010

The fire raging in northern Israel was still out of control as the sun set on Friday, with 42 people reported dead.

First Carmel fire victims identified, as Israel grapples with national tragedy

Published on December 3, 2010

As medical crews labor through the difficult task of identifying the victims of a massive brushfire ravaging Israel's north, Israel Police released Friday the names of eight of those who found their death in the blaze.

International aid arrives as Carmel fire continues to rage

Published on December 3, 2010

Seven fire-fighting aircraft landed in Israel early Friday, the first arrivals of a planned international airlift sent to aid the battle against a massive brushfire ripping through northern Israel.

Deadly Israeli wildfire draws U.S., Los Angeles support

By Julie Gruenbaum Fax
Published on December 2, 2010

The Jewish National Fund (JNF) and its partner, the Friends of Israel Firefighters (FIF), are leading efforts to raise funds to supply Israel’s beleaguered and aging firefighting force with the equipment it needs to battle the out-of-control brushfire consuming Israel’s Carmel Mountains near Haifa.

Israel’s Carmel fire: Haifa Police Chief Ahuva Tomer critically injured

Published on December 2, 2010

Head of the Haifa Police Department, Deputy Commander Ahuva Tomer was critically injured on Thursday as a result of the huge brushfire in the Carmel region.

Disaster in Northern Israel: 40 dead as fire rages across Carmel Mountains [VIDEO]

Published on December 2, 2010

40 people died on Thursday as a huge brushfire was raging across the Carmel Mountains near Haifa, resulting in the death of some 40 people and hurting dozens of others, among them prison guards and firemen.