Monday 19 December 2016

After the Fires

Titora Hill, or Giv'at ha-Titura, is a popular archaeological site and beauty spot very near to my home. The original name of the hill, 'Tantara', was adapted in Arabic to 'Tanturah' and the Hebrew to 'Titora' (meaning brim of a hat). I have blogged about it before, herehere and here. During the spring there are over 80 different types of wild flowers on the hilltop. It also has enormous historic value. Evidence has been found which suggests that it may have been inhabited since the Chalcolithic period, between 4,000 and 3,150 BCE. Archaeologists have found artifacts from the First Temple period, whilst further remains indicate that the Hasmoneans lived on the hilltop in about 165 BCE. There is also evidence that it was used as a hideout during the time of Bar Kochba, who died in 135 CE. At the top of the hill the remains of a Crusader fort can be found.
There was little reporting in the English press of a wave of fires in Israel recently. The fires were spread as far south as the Dead Sea area and north to Nahariya. The largest fire occurred in Haifa where 527 apartments were destroyed completely, leaving 1,600 people homeless. Other major fires occurred in the Jerusalem area and there were smaller ones elsewhere, including a fire on Titora Hill. Israeli officials said the fires had been fanned by unusually strong winds and were made worse by a dry atmosphere, but they also said they suspected that many of them had been caused by arson. More than 35 people were arrested on suspicion of setting the fires or inciting to do so.
Mister Handmade in Israel and I went for a stroll on Titora Hill last weekend. Having woken early on the day of the fire from the fire-fighting planes flying right over our home, we were relieved to see that the hill was not as badly burnt as we expected. The main damage covers the area of the Crusader ruins and down the northern edge of the hill. It is thought that larger, faster moving animals could have escaped the fire, but that the smaller, slower crawling creatures would not have had any chance. The question is whether the larger animals will return and only time will tell.
Before the fires, funding had been granted for the clearing of the paths and a general maintenance plan for the hill, to make it more easily accessible and pleasant for walking. There is also a plan for the Israel Antiquities Authority to dig in the area of the Crusader fort. At the moment the consensus seems to be to not do anything after the fire and let nature take its course. There have been fires on the hill most years during the summer and the vegetation has rehabilitated naturally.
More than 4,900 acres of forests, brush land and open space were burnt in Israel during 8 days of fires. The current rains have brought up the first few Sitvanit HaYoreh (Sitvanit from Stav meaning autumn and HaYoreh, the first rain) on Titora Hill, as well as Carcum Horpi (Winter Crocus). I also noticed a fair amount of other greenery poking through the burnt, blackened ground - a sign of renewal and of course hope for better times. We are very lucky to have this wonderful green area on our doorstep. I hope that the entire area will be preserved - and stay free of fire - for many years to come.

16 comments:

handmade by amalia said...

We still can't get over it. The city is doing a lot of work to try and clear the worst of the damage but you still see it everywhere around here. It is a miracle nobody was seriously hurt like last time.
Amalia
xo

Tamar SB said...

Still so sad about the fires. Israel is so beautiful hard to stomach the damage done.
Thanks for linking up - happy almost Chanukah!

restlessjo said...

Scary times, Lisa! I'm sure the landscape will recover but not so great for the people and animals involved. Wishing you a peaceful festive season. :)

Aritha V. said...

I'm glad you wrote that there are signs of hope in this burnt area. Also in the Dutch press is written about the fires. I wish I saw a blooming crocus winter. Israel will be restored and this areas shall live again.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

So sad about the fires especially how they started. You are absolutely correct about little publicity in the USA press about this disaster. We do tend to be a bit self-absorbed over here; often we read international news on BBCs website that we never otherwise see. But this I did not see anywhere. I hope the land continues to recover and that there are no more such horrible events.

Billy Blue Eyes said...

Fire, nature way of clearing the dead rubbish away. I love visiting old sites like that

Sara - Villa Emilia said...

What a beautiful place, Lisa. It was awful to read about the fires... but it was very happy to read about the help received from other countries.
Thank you for the interesting links about the flowers. The wild-flowers in Israel are something special.
May you have a happy and safe Hanukkah! Hugs and blessings!

Miss Val's Creations said...

Wow! I had not heard of these fires. It is crazy how fast fire spreads. I am glad to hear they have made many arson arrests. The landscape is lovely. It will be a treat to watch it revive itself over the years.

NCSue said...

As you know, I recently visited Israel. I still find myself amazed at the history and the diversity of the both the people and the landscape. Such a small country, yet so full of fascinating history.
I had heard of the fires, some of which occurred in places I so recently visited. I am so saddened to think that someone would willingly cause such damage to such a beautiful land.
Here we are about to celebrate Christmas, while Hanukah will soon be celebrated by many in your homeland. Whatever holiday you yourself observe, may God bless you.
Thanks for being a regular visitor at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2016/12/visiting-bethlehem-gloria-in-excelsis.html

VeggieMummy said...

You're right - there was very little in the UK press about the fires. Such a senseless act and I'm glad that they have caught those responsible. It's good to see sigs of regrowth. Wishing you and your family a happy Hanukah. xx

Rhonda Albom said...

The fires are a tragedy but out of death springs life and renewal. Clearing the fuel is healthy for the environment and growth.

betty-NZ said...

Thank you for telling us about this. I get very little news here in New Zealand so I depend on the internet. I pray for Israel often and I know God has His Hand on His Land.

Mandy said...

It is really sad that an arsonist would set fire to a piece of land the community was planning on making more accessible and pretty. Hopefully they catch the bad guy.

Quinn said...

I am so sorry to hear about this. Arson is a crime I have never been able to fathom. There have recently been huge fires set by arsonists in the US Southeast that have done inestimable damage over hundreds and hundreds of acres. It is just sickening. I do not understand human behavior sometimes, and honestly, sometimes understanding the "why" doesn't even matter to me anymore - the result is all that matters.

Intelliblog said...

I can sympathise completely about the fires as here in Australia, bushfires are a constant threat and they wreak havoc across the country every Summer.
Fortunately, we do get regeneration and our vegetation has adapted to the fires over the millennia. I wonder if Australian eucalypts are planted in Israel to help revegetate burnt areas?
See more here:
http://nicholasjv.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/in-praise-of-bushfires.html
Thank you for taking part in the Travel Tuesday meme.

lisa lewicki hermanson said...

your post so interesting, I will have to check out the links to other posts - here's to renewal.

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