Police and firefighting officials are preparing for an “extreme” heat wave starting today and continuing into the weekend, shuttering popular hiking areas and limiting permits for traditional bonfires tonight amid the Lag B’Omer holiday.
The Darga, Qumran, Og and Prat parks, each containing an eponymous riverbed that feeds into the Jordan Valley, are closed to visitors from Wednesday through Friday.
The Nature and Parks Authority also announced that Carmel National Park and its nearby hiking trails would be closed.
Officials reiterate that there is a blanket ban on unapproved fires in all public areas for the duration of the heat wave.
Temperatures are expected to reach their peak on Friday, which will see highs in various parts of the country ranging from 38 to 46 degrees Celsius, or 100 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
The extreme conditions fall on the Lag B’Omer holiday starting this evening, which is characterized by the lighting of bonfires.
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From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
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