Jerusalem Hills Forest Fires: The Charred Aftermath (Har HaTayasim)
Channel: Daniel Rosehill
Date: 2021-08-26

Earlier this month, the beautiful hilly land around Jerusalem (the 'Jerusalem Hills') was engulfed by one of the worst blazes in the country's history. In total, 25,000 dunams (6,200 acres) of forest was consumed. 

The legacy of that fire is still etched into the landscape just outside Israel's capital city. Driving from Jerusalem to a branch of IKEA near Beit Shemesh, passing by the Sataf Forest, entire hillsides containing char-blackened trees were visible. The air remained rich with the smell of burnt wood — a now familiar smell to many Jerusalem residents.

The blaze — one of the most damaging in the State of Israel's history — required the joint and round-the-clock effort of fire crews and emergency services from around Israel. The PA also sent a crew to assist in the effort. At one point, the course of the fire threatened Hadassah Ein Kerem — one of Jerusalem's major hospitals. While the fire destroyed many homes, nobody was killed as a result of the blaze. 

The official cause of the fire hasn't been determined yet, but a forensic investigation by the Israeli Police and the Shin Bet (Israel's internal intelligence service) has led to a strong suspicion that the blaze was started by arson, potentially for nationalistic motives. The definitive cause remains undetermined, however, and this was one of several fires to have started in the Jerusalem Hills this summer alone.

See also:

Red skies in Jerusalem caused by fires:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9APJTmbPp3M&ab_channel=DanielRosehill

To get an extent for the scale of the ecological damage caused by the blaze, check out this amazing drone footage shot by Roni Way:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcxCYw1CgWk&ab_channel=RoniWay

By: Daniel Rosehill (danielrosehill.co.il)

== Production notes ==*

Camera: Canon Vixia HF R800
Audio: Internal and Savatech UHF lavalier microphone and wireless system
Stabilization: Nill
Lighting: Nill 
Postproduction: Kdenlive
Other notes: Nill

(I write these for myself to help keep track of what equipment I'm using as I try to make better YouTube videos!)

== Licensing / syndication / reproduction ==

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