Campaign "By Our Hands We Revive It": Syrian Initiative to Restore Life to Burned Forests

At a joint press conference, the Governor of Latakia, Mohammad Othman, and the Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management, Raed Al-Saleh, announced the launch of the "By Our Hands We Revive It" campaign to reforest forests damaged by fires, restore villages and houses affected by the damages, and assist residents in returning to their lands.

The campaign started from the village of Qastal Ma'af, which was the most affected, in a symbolic and practical step to unify the efforts of the state and society in reviving the devastated areas.

The Governor of Latakia confirmed that the size of the fires exceeded 14,000 hectares, emphasizing that the past days witnessed an unprecedented solidarity from all Syrian governorates in facing a major environmental and humanitarian disaster.

He considered that this ordeal demonstrated the true cohesion of the Syrian society, and proved the people's ability to stand together in crises.

On his part, the Minister of Emergency, Raed Al-Saleh, pointed out that the campaign is launched while the fires are still burning, proving that Syrians are capable of rebuilding their country from the ashes.

He explained that the government is working on a comprehensive plan to protect forests and prevent the recurrence of such disasters, by establishing fire lines, rehabilitating paths, and activating three operation rooms to monitor firefighting efforts around the clock.

Al-Saleh praised the efforts of local firefighting teams and volunteers, as well as the support provided by teams from Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon, whether on the ground or through air support. He confirmed that the European Union has expressed readiness to send additional firefighting helicopters, given the need for aerial intervention to control the fires in some areas.

He indicated that the Syrian state is coordinating at all levels to extinguish the fires and support the affected people, and confirmed that no human losses have been recorded so far, with the situation relatively stable.

He also emphasized that the end of the fire does not mean the end of work, but rather the beginning of a new phase to rehabilitate forests and enhance the state's capacity to address such disasters in the future.

Firefighting teams, volunteers, and local organizations continue to work hand in hand to control the fires in the Syrian coastal areas, while the Ministry of Interior continues technical and field reconnaissance operations to determine the exact causes of the fires.