Despite being evacuated amidst the dangerous forest fire in northern Israel, the University of Haifa is serving as Emergency Central Command for the police, firefighters, and Israel Defense Forces as well as for the media. The University campus and its buildings are directly located in the Carmel Mountains area where the fires are burning.

Meanwhile, the President of the University of Haifa, Aaron Ben-Ze’ev, has announced the establishment of a multi-million dollar emergency campaign to provide humanitarian support for the University community and to take measures to ensure the safety of its students and faculty.

Yesterday, shortly after the fire broke out, the University evacuated all its students and faculty from the campus in under two hours. Students with no immediate family in the area found homes with host families.