One year after the devastating Carmel Forest fire, the worst in Israeli history, NU Campaign re-launches the HOPE for Carmel Forest T-shirt. The t-shirt commemorates the tragic loss of life and acts of heroism that took place, while celebrating the rebirth and hope, as the forest begins to regenerate itself.

The Carmel forest fire began at about 11:00am local time on 2 December 2010, and spread quickly, consuming much of the Mediterranean forest covering the region. The fire claimed at least 44 lives, making it the deadliest in Israeli history. More than 17,000 people were evacuated, including several villages in the vicinity of the fire, and there was considerable property and environmental damage.

According to officials, up to 4 million trees were burnt and nearly half of the 150,000 dunams (15,000 hectares; 37,000 acres) of the Carmel Forest reserve was destroyed in the fire. Officials say it could take dozens of years to rehabilitate the area.

Thirty-eight of the dead were prison service officers course cadets and their commanding officers, who were on their way to Damun jail to evacuate its prisoners from the path of the flames. Their bus driver also perished, as did three senior police officers, a firefighter, and 16-year-old volunteer firefighter.

Several police officers and a number of firefighters who were behind the bus were also injured and some were killed, including Nitzav Mishne (Deputy Commander) Ahuva Tomer, commander of the Haifa police station and the first woman to hold such a major command. Tomer suffered severe burns and died in hospital on December 6.