The National Fire and Rescue Authority is warning the Israeli public to refrain from lighting bonfires on Lag B'Omer in potentially dangerous areas due to the heat wave temperatures expected on Thursday and Friday of this week, according to a report on Israeli website Kikar Hashabbat.
Lag B'Omer, a day when Israelis and Jews worldwide traditionally light bonfires, is on Wednesday night and Thursday of this week. The temperature is predicted to be an unseasonably hot 98 degrees (37 degrees Celsius) on Thursday. Last year, on Lag B'Omer 2018, there was also a heat wave and similar warnings about bonfires were issued.
Israel’s Fire and Rescue Department Commissioner Dedi Simchi said he will be issuing a public announcement forbidding the lighting of bonfires in public parks, forests, and other potentially dangerous areas on Lag B'Omer.
In addition to the expected heat wave, the National Fire & Rescue Authority said that the heavy rains this winter has led to a growth in foliage, which increases the chance of fires as well.
"We reiterate our call to the public to follow the safety guidelines for lighting bonfires which are posted on our website," a Fire and Rescue Department spokesperson said.