The wave of wildfires last week once again highlighted major shortcomings in Israel’s firefighting system. Data point to chronic underfunding, a shortage of personnel, and salaries that fall short by international standards—even as Israel faces a high rate of wildfires. With climate change expected to make fires more frequent and intense, the question arises: Is the country doing enough to ensure a functional, well-compensated, and efficient firefighting force?
A Hot Country With a Dried-Out Budget
Hot, dry weather combined with strong winds creates ideal conditions for wildfires. Despite its arid climate, Israel has a relatively large proportion of forested land, and the effects are clear. According to the annual report of the International Association of Fire and Rescue Services, Israel ranks fifth out of more than 80 countries in wildfires per capita. From 2018 to 2022, Israel experienced 5.28 fires per 1,000 people—compared to an average of 2.19 among all surveyed countries.
Despite this high rate, Israel lags in both funding and staffing. Public spending on firefighting as a share of GDP is 66% lower than in the eurozone and 50% lower than in benchmark countries (nations with similar economic profiles such as Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Sweden). The gap with benchmark countries stands at 0.08% of GDP—roughly 1.6 billion shekels ($430 million) in 2024 terms. Most of this gap is due to non-payroll spending. Over the past decade, this shortfall has amounted to more than 10 billion shekels ($2.7 billion) relative to benchmark countries, and more than 20 billion shekels ($5.4 billion) relative to the eurozone. Firefighting is just one example of a much broader shortfall in Israel’s public spending.
Average Firefighter Pay Over a Third Lower Than Peer Countries
The underfunding is reflected in the small number of firefighters and their low pay. Israel is among the countries with the fewest firefighters per capita in the international report. A closer look reveals that Israel has a relatively high number of full-time professional firefighters compared to benchmark countries, which tend to rely more on volunteers and part-time staff. However, when counting all firefighting personnel—including volunteers—benchmark countries have more than five times as many firefighters per capita as Israel. This further illustrates that the funding gap isn’t primarily due to personnel costs, but rather to other necessary expenses such as equipment and maintaining a volunteer system. In total firefighter numbers per capita (including volunteers), Israel ranks 77th out of 82 countries—sixth from the bottom.
The shortage in firefighting services has been known for years and is evident in the difficulty of filling firefighter positions. The main reason is clear: the pay is not attractive. According to the Economic Research Institute, the average salary for a firefighter in Israel is about 35% lower than in the benchmark countries. The average monthly salary is 14,500 shekels ($3,900). While this is higher than the average salary in Israel, it includes senior officers and long-serving firefighters. In comparison with peer countries, pay for Israeli firefighters is significantly lower. This is part of a broader trend across Israel’s public sector, where wages are substantially lower than the OECD average.
Fifteen years after the Carmel fire disaster, which led to the deaths of 44 people, one would expect Israel’s firefighting system to be stronger. Instead, the data show the opposite. Last week’s struggles in containing the fires should serve as a stark reminder of the danger to life and property. Without a dramatic policy shift—especially in the face of climate change—Israel risks another catastrophic fire.
