Israeli Environmental Groups Warn Israel Is Unprepared for Next Mega Wildfire

Israeli environmental organizations have issued a stark warning to the government that the country remains unprepared for the next large-scale wildfire, emphasizing that the question is not if but when such a disaster will occur. Despite the increasing frequency of wildfires linked to climate change, Israel lacks a national protection plan, sufficient firefighting personnel, advanced technological tools, and dedicated budget allocations to effectively combat these events.

The groups highlight that hundreds of firefighters and firefighting vehicles are still missing from the national emergency response system. According to the Fire and Rescue Authority's data from late 2025, there is a shortage of 977 firefighters, 163 fire trucks, and 32 fire stations. This shortfall means Israel cannot currently handle even a scenario involving three simultaneous major wildfires, as projected in 2018.

The organizations stress that wildfires result not only from ignition sources but also from inadequate preparedness, including insufficient use of technology for early detection, poor land management, lack of buffer zones, and absence of a coordinated, funded national strategy. They call for the immediate establishment of a specialized national unit dedicated exclusively to open-area wildfire prevention and response, integrated within the fire service but focused solely on this challenge.

To address the urgent need, the groups demand a targeted budget of approximately 160 million shekels to build this specialized force. They argue this investment is minimal compared to the estimated 3.5 billion shekels in damages caused by wildfires in open areas. The destructive impact of these fires extends beyond human risk to devastating natural habitats, severe economic harm to agriculture and local authorities, and massive carbon emissions that exacerbate the climate crisis.

The environmental leaders urge a fundamental shift in Israel’s approach to wildfire preparedness, aligning with global trends as many European countries currently face similar challenges. They emphasize that Israel possesses the knowledge, expertise, and technology needed but lacks a clear national plan and implementation framework to prevent and mitigate future mega wildfires.