The Syrian Civil Defense continues its efforts to extinguish the fires in Jabal al-Turkman in the countryside of Latakia.

The Syrian Civil Defense teams (White Helmets) are still working on extinguishing the fires raging in the forests of Jabal Turkman in the northeastern countryside of Latakia for the fourth consecutive day. They have managed to control many hotspots, while facing significant difficulties in dealing with two main and several scattered hotspots.

The Civil Defense organization stated in a statement on Telegram on Saturday, May 10, that the burned area has exceeded 30 hectares of forest lands, confirming that "no damages to homes have been reported so far."

The statement pointed out that the firefighting operations are facing major challenges due to the rugged terrain, the presence of steep rocky cliffs, the distance from water sources, the increasing wind speed, and rising temperatures. It also highlighted that "the spread of unexploded war remnants in the area poses a real danger to the lives of firefighters and hinders their movements."

From the fire site in the Rabi'a area, the organization's head, Munir Mustafa, explained that "a joint operations room has been formed in coordination with the Ministry of Emergencies and Disasters to enhance firefighting efforts," noting the arrival of reinforcements from Civil Defense teams in the provinces of Idlib, Aleppo, and Hama, especially with expectations of rising temperatures and increased wind speed on Sunday, May 11.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Emergencies and Disasters announced "the control of more than 60% of the fire area," considering that "the wind movement will be a decisive factor in the success of firefighting efforts in the coming hours."

Despite the challenges, the Civil Defense affirmed that its teams "are exerting maximum effort to isolate the burning areas and establish fire lines to prevent the spread of the fire to populated areas or additional forested areas."

It is worth mentioning that the area witnessed similar fires last March, which were brought under control without human losses. However, residents of the area have expressed concerns about the current fire expanding, especially with the shortage of tracked vehicles capable of operating in rugged terrains.

Footage from the fire site shows Civil Defense teams working amidst flames and thick smoke, with one firefighter describing the scene as: "We are not looking for glory, but for a moment of salvation... for a glimmer of hope and life for these trees."

The official cause of the fires has not been declared, while efforts continue to contain the remaining active hotspots before the weather conditions worsen.