Timothy Wainwright, an Australian volunteer firefighter, has conducted seven training missions in Israel since 2019, teaching civilian communities along Israel’s border regions how to effectively fight wildfires with limited resources.
His initiative came after he read news reports of arson attacks against Israel from Gaza and it has since expanded to include communities across the southern and northern borders, encompassing Jewish, Druze and Christian populations.
In an interview with JNS, Wainwright explained that his motivation to assist Israeli communities stemmed from seeing images of border residents battling fires with basic equipment during Hamas’s 2018 kite and balloon arson attacks.
“I read about the Gaza arson attacks using balloons and kites setting fire to farms and forests in Israel,” he said. “I saw civilians fighting fires in T-shirts with minimal gear and I saw the destruction of farms and forests. I wanted to do something to help.”

Having no prior connection to Israel or the Australian Jewish community, Wainwright responded to the images of struggling border communities and the apparent lack of sufficient resources. He traveled to Israel for the first time in 2019 to begin training local volunteers, known as kitot konenut, on how to combat fires using whatever equipment they had.
“I started teaching wherever communities welcomed us and the response was overwhelmingly positive,” he recalled.
Hila Fenlon, a resident of Netiv HaAsara who runs a local seed farm and received significant training from Wainwright, described the challenges faced by communities, such as her moshav, that are in particularly difficult situations due to their proximity to Gaza.
“Israeli planes are restricted from flying near border areas, leaving us to face fires with limited support,” she said.
In response, Wainwright founded Operation Fire Support (OFS), a nonprofit organization dedicated to training civilians in firefighting techniques and the use of available equipment, especially when professional services are delayed or unable to reach remote areas.
His focus is on teaching strategies for fighting fires without relying solely on traditional resources. Felon described his approach. “When entry points are limited and planes can’t fly in, you have to use blowers, basic fire tools and tactical methods to contain and prevent fires from spreading,” she said. “A small fire can be controlled before it becomes a major disaster. That’s the core of his training.”

Fenlon recounts that her Thai workers were trained by Wainwright in the year prior to Oct. 7, 2023. Just weeks before the Hamas attack, she arranged a training session for her workers with Wainwright’s methods and he left accessible firefighting equipment on her farm.
When Hamas terrorists launched their assault, these workers were able to utilize that equipment to save her farm from destruction. Upon returning, Fenlon found her property intact amid the chaos, with her Thai workers having effectively used the training and equipment to protect her livelihood.
“Even though my farm was hit by rockets and shrapnel, it hadn’t burned, thanks to the fire equipment and the quick action of the workers trained by Timothy,” she said.
Wainwright shared that this success story is one of his greatest achievements. “It’s a testament to how well training and preparation can make a real difference,” he said.
The broader significance of his efforts extends beyond individual farms. Fenlon emphasizes that Netiv HaAsara produces specialized seeds that supply over 60% of Israel’s farms, along with many others worldwide. “What we do saves millions of dollars in equipment, protects livelihoods, and ensures the safety of workers and communities,” she noted.
The program has expanded to central and northern Israeli communities, including Druze villages along the Lebanese and Syrian borders. “We’ve trained groups in Buqata, Majd al-Shams, Hufrish, and Peki’in,” Wainwright explained. The initiative’s ethos is inclusive: training Jewish, Druze, Christian, and Muslim communities alike, emphasizing that fighting wildfires is about saving lives, property, and land.
A key aspect of the training is prioritizing safety and the effective use of basic equipment.
“The most important thing is to teach people how to stay safe and avoid injuries while using proper tactics. Often, communities are given gear but not trained in how to use it properly, which can be dangerous. Also, many are without proper fire protective uniforms, so they are at significant risk of burns every time they respond to fires.” Wainwright said.
Israel’s fire services, which are understaffed in comparison with national fire services in Europe or North America, benefit greatly from Wainwright’s initiative, as it complements their efforts. By allowing communities to respond quickly to small fires, the initiative reduces the burden on professional firefighters. This allows fire crews to focus on larger incidents, making firefighting more efficient and effective.

Thus far, Wainwright’s program has demonstrably eased pressure on professional fire services.
“When volunteers respond promptly, the job becomes easier, property and crops are better protected, and the risk to human life decreases,” he noted. “We’re proud to contribute to this effort.”
His work has garnered recognition, including invitations to speak at Israel’s National Fire Training Academy on wildfire prevention methods.
Funding needed
Despite widespread support from regional councils and local communities, funding remains a challenge.
“We have numerous letters of support from regional authorities, but raising funds from private donors is an ongoing challenge,” Wainwright admitted.
Fenlon has advocated for increased financial backing.
“I traveled to Australia to speak with communities there about supporting Timothy’s work,” she said. “We need to support those who are helping us, especially in times when government resources are stretched thin. Timothy, who has no direct ties to Israel, came here out of altruism and saved my farm and many others. He truly deserves our support.”
Looking ahead, Wainwright envisioned a long-term plan: a full-time, four-year effort to establish a standardized, community-based wildfire response and community wildfire prevention program across Israel.
“My goal is to create a cohesive community-based fire service with standardised training, protective uniforms, and improved equipment and vehicles nationwide,” he said. “This will include wildfire prevention and wildfire hazard mitigation strategies to build resilience in vulnerable communities. We have seen through the recent Jerusalem wildfires how vulnerable we are to these severe fires next to communities.”
Wainwright’s initiative aims to address critical gaps in Israel’s community firefighting capacity, especially in smaller, often isolated communities that face threats from arson, rocket attacks and wildfires.
“While Israel’s professional and volunteer fire services are excellent, many small communities are on their own during emergencies,” Wainwright noted. “They need support through training, equipment, and prevention strategies to better protect their homes, farms, and families.”
For communities along Israel’s borders, Wainwright’s program has already shown its impact, saving farms like Fenlon’s and assisting communities in the south, center, and north. Despite resource constraints, he remains committed to empowering civilians as effective first responders, helping to combat the rising threats of arson and climate-related fires across Israel.
Whether Wainwright will succeed at transforming large groups of ordinary civilians into effective first responders who face a growing threat from arson and climate-caused forest fires in Israel remains to be seen. But for those who have already benefited from Wainwright’s program, the successes are palpable.