Protect the North: Under Attack and Wildfire Crisis

Urgent Emergency Appeal: Help Us Protect Israel’s Northern Communities

Hezbollah is attempting to devastate Israel’s northern communities, and our civil security squads are tirelessly working to prevent further destruction. We urgently need to raise $2,500,000 USD in June-July to equip these brave responders with essential Protective Personal Equipment (PPE), firefighting gear, and community preparation and mitigation workshops. This support will help protect over 100 rural and isolated frontline communities.

Our Efforts So Far

Civil Squads of Israel and Operation Fire Support partnered in April and May to provide workshops to Israel’s frontline civil squads in wildfire prevention, suppression and mitigation. We visited over 20 civil squads and enabled more than 350 participants. We saw first-hand the lack of adequate equipment. See here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dZXr7kgaBtQ

The Current Crisis

Over the last three weeks, but particularly over the last 12 hours Hezbollah has been conducting wildfire terrorism against Israel in order to force us out of our homes. They are taking advantage of the tinderbox conditions that turn their rocket and drone attacks into extreme and disastrous wildfires, threatening entire communities, homes, agriculture, livestock and lives. It is less talked about that Israel’s previous winter was particularly wet, resulting in extraordinarily large undergrowth. In addition, summer has already begun with the hottest April on record in 85 years.

Finally, our whole northern front has been evacuated from up to 5 km from the border with Syria and Lebanon. This means that all homes and public spaces in our communities have been neglected and become overgrown over the last 8-months, since October 7th. Even the smallest airborne embers can ignite and destroy entire communities, and the summer has only just begun…

See just one example of how tonight’s rocket-ignited wildfires have already reached homes in Kiryat Shmona. This wildfire was ignited purposefully by Hezbollah rockets. You can see the tree-top embers being blown towards the rest of the community and onto dry, twig-laden rooftops: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/x3kFsbml7Gc

Why We Need Your Help

The misconception that wildfires are solely fought by authorities is dangerous. With hundreds of spot-fire locations and an insufficient number of firefighting crews, our local civil squads are the first responders. However, they lack the necessary equipment to fight these fires safely and effectively.

Join Us

We need your help to outfit our civil squads so they can protect their communities and stay safe. Below, you’ll find details on the specific equipment needed and how to donate. Your support in these testing times is deeply appreciated. Am Yisrael Chai!

Thank you for standing by us. Together, we can make a difference.

List of Equipment to Purchase

• STIHL BR 7004
• WildLand Water BackPack
• Fire Rake
• Utility Gloves Flame Resistant
• Fire proof Jacket
• Fire Proof pants
• Bushfire Helmet/w visor
• WildLand Fire Goggles

Additional Information

Example of the effectiveness of this equipment in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-AHB-EL378

Example of why protective flame-resistant materials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-axywwk89bk

Channel 11 Interview on our wildfire training program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGSv_5rtmWQ