Israel’s tragedy

It’s December and “unseasonal heat” has lead to Israel’s worst natural disaster

Bushfires have killed dozens:

An estimated 13,000 people were forced to flee their homes in northern Israel Thursday and early Friday, as the worst bushfire in Israel’s history raged unchecked for 14 hours, killing 40 people and devouring everything in its path. The fire broke out shortly before noon Thursday on the Carmel hill, southeast of the port city of Haifa, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described it as “a catastrophe, the likes of which we have not yet known”.

He appealed to Russia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy and other countries for help in putting out the fire and by early Friday morning, some 24 firefighting aircraft, as well as other equipment, from countries including Greece, Cyprus, France and Egypt, were mobilising for Israel or were already on their way.

This is after an August heat wave:

The heat wave that Israel has been experiencing this week continued unabated on Friday.

Nahum Malik of the Metrotech weather service said however that temperatures would begin a long-awaited downward turn on Saturday and could reach seasonal averages by Tuesday.

Thursday was the hottest day since the start of the week. Temperatures reached 39 degrees Celsius in Jerusalem (9 degrees above average), 38 degrees in Tzfat, 43 degrees at the Sea of Galilee and 46 degrees in Eilat.

Russia, Pakistan…

No, nothing to worry about.