The Israel Fire and Rescue Services, in partnership with the Nature and Parks Authority, launched the first forest crew course in the Haifa district last week. The week-long training on Mount Carmel trained some 30 commanders and firefighters in open-area fire behavior, containment techniques, and international methods to prevent a repeat of the 2010 Carmel disaster.
The Israel Fire and Rescue Services (כבאות והצלה לישראל) and the Nature and Parks Authority (רט״ג) have launched a pioneering forest crew course for open-area firefighting, held on Mount Carmel. The week-long pilot program trained approximately 30 commanders and firefighters from the Haifa district alongside rangers from the Northern District forestry branch. The curriculum covered wildfire behavior, hazards in open terrain, and suppression methods adapted from global practice — including the construction of firebreaks via pruning, foam, mowing, and aerial drops. The initiative is part of a broader policy by Fire Commissioner Rafi (Eyal) Caspi to prepare for the upcoming fire season. Course commander Reshef Yuval Barak emphasized that inter-agency coordination was the main strength, drawing lessons from the 2010 Mount Carmel fire (the deadliest in Israeli history, which killed 44 people). No specific operational deployment or immediate fire risk was cited; this is a capacity-building move.
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