Clearly fire department officials are extremely concerned with the many Lag B’Omer bonfires set around the country, too often without proper precautions being taken and without proper adult supervision.
For most, while the safety factor is a concern, the issue of the environment seems to be off their radar, environmental experts report. The experts explain that while once upon a time fires contained wood and other clean flammable substances, today there is laminated wood such as furniture, Styrofoam, plastics and many other substances that should be kept far away from fire since they release toxic fumes.
Environmental officials report the poor air quality levels are undoubtedly the result of the bonfires. Minister of Environmental Affairs Amir Peretz urged the tzibur at large not to place colored woods or other items such as plastic in fires for this results in the release of toxic fumes.
The Bnei Brak area registered air pollution 17.8 times the norm. Jerusalem measures 5.4 times the norm, Rishon L’Tzion 5.3, Kiryat Malachi 4.4, Gadera 4.2 and Tel Aviv 3 times regular air pollution.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
such anti semities.
all the headline PRINT to FIT their rishos.
thousands stranded in meron…
air quality because of lag bomer….
where are they when there are takeh problems??!!
It is not on the radar that air pollution is nezek or grama benezek.
It is not on the radar that blackened hillsides is hezek reiya, that debris and nails not cleaned up for weeks deprives the public of parking areas.
It is not on the radar that the collecting of wood, for some, gezel becomes mutar in honor of Shimom bar Yochai.
It is off the the radar that closures of major thoroughfares is gezel of the traveling public.
It is not on the radar that ugliness and lack of darchei noam is a lacking in Torah and yahadus. Calling it holy minhag does not change any of the present sad realities.
Air quality is a real issue for those of us with breathng problems, such as asthma, bronchitis, etc. We spend the evening of Lag B’ Omer every year barracaded in our house, with all windows closed and the shutters down in order to avoid asthma being set off from all the smoke. It can be an issue of Pikuach Nefesh. We’re not the only family like this. I read that MDA has to deal with thousands of respiratory emergencies every year because of this.
Last time they complained about the air pollution they had the caramel fire that Burnt down half the largest Israeli forest