Control of Latakia Fires Approaching After 15 Thousand Hectares of Forests Burned

Syria continues its real battle against massive fires that broke out in the forests and shrubs of northern Latakia countryside for the seventh day, amidst rugged terrain and complex weather conditions, resulting in the burning of approximately 15 thousand hectares of forest, agricultural areas, and infrastructure according to official estimates.

Syrian Minister of Agriculture Amjad Badr confirmed that the environmental damage is significant, describing the scene in some areas as "black lands," indicating the extensive destruction caused by the fires.

In a notable development, the minister did not rule out the possibility of some fires being intentional, pointing out that the ignition of fires in scattered areas not subject to climatic factors necessitates a comprehensive investigation to determine the exact causes.

Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed Al-Saleh explained that Syrian firefighting teams have achieved almost complete control over most fire sites, except for two hard-to-reach points in Jabal Turkman; one located in a valley accessible only by air, and the other on a slope planted with mines, where scattered explosions were recorded without any injuries among the teams.

Al-Saleh noted that cooling operations began at dawn today, but strong winds led to the rekindling of some hotspots, prompting enhanced aerial efforts in cooperation with European countries, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon.

Turkey was the first to respond by sending 12 firefighting aircraft, in addition to ground teams and specialized vehicles.

While no civilian injuries were reported, the Ministry of Emergency announced a serious injury among civil defense teams due to some elements being trapped amidst the fires.

Syrian Civil Defense revealed that the total burnt areas are estimated at around 14 thousand hectares according to its preliminary data, emphasizing that firefighting teams are currently focusing their efforts on the Sheikh Hassan, Al-Barka Village, and Wadi Kornkoul axes to prevent the spread of fires to any residential areas.

Field sources reported that UN teams have arrived in the affected areas to conduct urgent assessments, determine the extent of the disaster, and assess the needs of the population.

In a related context, Latakia Governor Mohammed Othman and Minister of Emergency Raed Al-Saleh launched a national campaign titled "Revive It with Our Hands," aimed at reforesting the damaged forests, restoring the charred mountains, and assisting the affected people in the devastated areas.

Despite the enormity of the disaster, ongoing efforts and regional and international coordination inspire hope for completely containing the fire in the coming hours, provided that weather conditions allow.