Wildfires

Karen Bass, Spencer Pratt head to November run-off in Los Angeles mayoral race

Karen Bass leads 37% in the LA mayoral race, facing Republican Spencer Pratt in the November run-off after a crowded first round marked by wildfires, homelessness, and political clashes.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass dances near supporters while attending her election night watch party as she runs for reelection in the Los Angeles mayoral race during the California primary election in Los Angeles, June 2, 2026.
Ayalon Canada Park after restoration following the 2025 wildfires.

Jerusalem hills finally recovering from devastating 2025 wildfires

 A helicopter conducts firefighting operations as wildfires continue in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, Japan, April 26, 2026.

Japan wildfires burn for fifth day, forcing mass evacuations in Otsuchi

An employee of Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority inspects a burnt tree following a rocket attack from bordering Lebanon, at the Tel Dan nature reserve in northern Israel in November 2024.

The land still burns: Israel’s damaged forests face long road to recovery after war


What is the Supertanker sent to fight Jerusalem’s fires?

The aircraft is capable of dropping tens of thousands of liters of water or fire retardant in a single mission, making it one of the most powerful tools available in fighting wildfires.

The Supertanker in action

Drivers trapped, forced to abandon vehicles on Highway 1 due to massive wildfire

A massive wildfire broke out in the Jerusalem hills, prompting evacuations and forcing the closure of Highway 1 in both directions between Anava and Shoresh.

  Massive wildfire near Jerusalem forces evacuations, shuts down Highway 1

Victoria, Australia culls hundreds of koalas after wildfire, activists denounce policy

Allan defended her policy by saying that the koalas being shot were "in a lot of distress," Sky News Australia reported, adding that the decision was made after "extensive assessments."

 A koala climbing a tree in Ouwehands Zoo, Rhenen, Netherlands, illustrative; April 25, 2024.

Bar-Ilan University researchers develop AI model to predict lightning-induced wildfires

Israel's most notorious wildfire was in December 2010 on Mount Carmel near Haifa. It spread quickly, consuming much of the Mediterranean forest covering the region.

 DR. OREN GLICKMAN.

What I learned about American Jews while collecting Judaica for LA fire victims

Over 5,000 new and used Judaica items were distributed to more than 400 Jews affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires.

 Items donated to a Judaica drive staged for  Los Angeles fire victims included shofars, seder plates and mezuzahs.

Israel launches AI fire prediction tool to protect transportation systems

As the new fire prediction system is rolled out this summer, it represents a significant leap forward in Israel's ability to manage the risks posed by climate change.

 A wildfire in Israel's north.

How losing homes in the Los Angeles wildfires re-traumatized Jews who escaped Iran

DIASPORA AFFAIRS: 42 years ago, Mahnaz, Firouz, and their then-small children had escaped the fanatic violence and persecution of Iran in the middle of the night.

 AT LEAST 29 people were killed, more than 200,000 people were forced to evacuate, and over 16,000 structures were destroyed or damaged. The economic toll from the fires is estimated at over $250 billion. Here, an aerial view of homes destroyed in the Palisades Fire is seen in March.

Massive wildfire erupts in eastern California, sparking evacuations

There were no immediate reports of injuries or structural damage so far. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to Cal Fire.

 A member of Cal Fire surveys damage outside a devastated home in recent wildfires affecting Altadena, California, January 12, 2025.

From tragedy to innovation: Israeli ingenuity tackles global wildfire challenges - opinion

As I watch the Los Angeles fires unfold, I’m painfully reminded that these challenges are universal. Fire doesn’t recognize borders, and neither should our solutions.

 FLAMES AND smoke rise into the air during the Carmel forest fire, near Haifa, in 2010.

LA Jews are all mourners now, experiencing both grief and hope - opinion

The lessons of this period will last a lifetime. Through our prayers, through the fires, through the peril, through the joys, through the tears - hope will return.

 Rabbi Nicole Guzik, center, with her husband Rabbi Erez Sherman and daughter Annie before Annie's bat mitzvah in January 2025.