Israel’s Meteorological Service reported several record-breaking high temperatures, while firefighters worked to extinguish blazes sparked by holiday celebrants who failed to properly put out Lag Ba’omer bonfires in the Jerusalem area
Nir Hasson. May 17, 2025
The heavy heat wave conditions that prevailed throughout Israel on Saturday broke several records for May.
Israel’s Meteorological Service reported that the temperature in Kibbutz Eilon in the Western Galilee reached 41.6 degrees Celsius (106.88 Fahrenheit) on Saturday afternoon, the highest temperature ever recorded there since data collection began 85 years ago.
In Neve Ya’ar, in the Jezreel Valley, the temperature peaked at 43.5 degrees Celsius (110.3 Fahrenheit), the highest recorded since data collection began there 55 years ago.
Extreme temperatures were also measured in other parts of the country. Kibbutz Netiv HaLamed-Heh in the Judean plain saw temperatures rising to 43.5 degrees Celsius (110.3 Fahrenheit) by noon, only one-tenth of a degree lower than the record for May.
Around Lake Kinneret, in the Beit She’an Valley, in the Jordan Valley and the Arava, temperatures soared to 45 and 46 degrees Celcius (113-114.8 Fahrenheit).
The hot and dry conditions led to several fires in the Jerusalem area on Friday and Saturday. Fires broke out in Jerusalem on Friday morning, apparently after several Lag Ba’omer fires had not been completely extinguished.
Firefighters, aided by a plane, managed to control the fires before they spread to built-up areas or burned large swaths of land. On Saturday, fires broke out near Ein Haemek in the Megiddo Regional Council area, near Shfaram, and in the Ramat Hashofet area.
According to the Meteorological Service’s fire index, the risk of fires spreading rapidly will continue until Sunday morning, due to the low humidity and the dry condition of vegetation.
The danger is not extreme, since the winds are not as strong as the powerful winds that blew when large fires broke out on Memorial Day two and a half weeks ago.