Haifa fire restoration project-urban forest management: A case study

On 24 November 2016, extreme hot and dry weather led to more than 1000 fires in Israel. One of the largest fires (120 ha) occurred in the city of Haifa. The fire began on the slopes of the north-eastern part of the wildland-urban interface (WUI) and spread into the city, moving westward owing to strong wind gusts. Although private houses in open lands and villages in Israel have previously been affected by fires, this was the first 'urban fire' in Israel. In order to determine the best management strategy for the various types of burned areas, an 'identity card' was prepared for each area including main vegetation species and other points of interest. For urban forest areas, rehabilitation was planned according to topographic structure and anticipated soil erosion. In each reclaimed area, terraces were constructed using burned logs or local stones and inhibitors to mitigate soil erosion. After restoration, each urban forest underwent planting and renewal according to its geographic properties and location.