Two major fires that raged in Galilee forests Sunday were apparently caused by arson, Jewish National Fund head Effie Stenzler said.
A fire in Bar’am burned more than 500 dunams of forest, and the other fire, in Biriya, burned another 100 dunams.
Over the past three months, fires have scorched an estimated 20,000 dunams of land, causing tens of millions of shekels in damage.
The JNF spends more than 20 million shekels each year fighting forest fires, according to Stenzler.
Fires broke out last week as well, apparently due to a severe heat wave Tuesday, which was coupled with winds. A massive fire raged near the city of Beit Shemesh on Tuesday. Firefighting crews fought for hours to contain the blaze, and four firefighters were injured from smoke inhalation.
The fire was eventually put out, but consumed an estimated 3,000 dunams of land and damaged five homes. Firefighters suspect arson in that case as well.
A second fire broke out Tuesday near the Galilee town of Karmiel. Several firefighting crews worked together to extinguish the blaze. Crews suspect that the Karmiel blaze was also the result of arson.
JNF workers assisted firefighters in both cases.