Major fire has broken out near the Sea of Galilee, residents evacuated

The incident prompted the evacuation of homes in the immediate vicinity and led to fires spreading to nearby agricultural structures.

According to channnel 13 news, over twenty fire and rescue teams, supported by firefighting aircraft, battled the blaze for more than three hours. The firefighting efforts focused on safeguarding residential areas as flames approached the outskirts of the Smadar Elite neighbourhood. Multiple agricultural buildings were engulfed, and some homes sustained damage.

Commander Boris Eisenberg of the Tiberias station, overseeing operations, stated, "The fire has spread on two fronts within the Yavne'el settlement area—near the cemetery and Beit Gan neighbourhood, and adjacent to the Smadar neighbourhood. Our teams and air support are concentrated on protecting homes and executing containment and extinguishing measures where the fire has taken hold."

By 6:30 p.m., authorities reported the fire had been brought under control after extensive efforts to shield residential properties. Ongoing operations will continue to manage the burning haystack, which is expected to require hours of attention. Highway 767, initially closed from Kfar Kama to Livnal, will soon reopen, allowing residents to return home. Five fire crews from Tiberias will remain on-site to secure the area and address any remaining hotspots.