Jerusalem Foothills Wildfire Comparison: 1995 - 2016
Following large scale forest fires that occurred over the weekend of 25-26 of November, 2016 in Israel, the age-old discussion about forest management came into light again: Are planted conifer forests worth the effort put into them or should Israel maintain and reinvigorate the more endemic Mediterranean Maquis and shrublands. One of the main talking points against the conifers are their greater fire hazard than oaks and other broad-leaves trees. There's a lot at stake for governmental and other organizations, thus the discussion may not be objective at times. One example is the lack of long term observation.
The blackened earth and charred trees are hard to overlook now and are plastered all over the news, but that is a moment in time. Forests grow again, and some resilient trees survive to repopulate the hills.
One focal point for recent fires are the Jerusalem foothills that have suffered from recurring fires over the past quarter century. The last major fire in the region happened in July 1995, where some 20 square kilometers of planted and natural forests burned down. Over the years, the forest grew again, either by ecological succession, or by planting of saplings.
Here are several juxtaposed aerial images from 1997 (two years after the fire) and 2014. Move the slider to notice the change over 17 years.
Jitla Stream:
Sha'ar Ha-Gay:
Shoresh:
As I write this post, the wildfire damage is being assessed and the debate about forestry practices is sure to heat up, pun intended.
