Syrian Civil Defence teams and volunteers battle wildfire flames for the tenth day near the town of Kasab on Saturday. Authorities say the fires are now under control.Ghaith Alsayed/The Associated Press
Some of Syria’s worst wildfires in years have been brought under control as of Sunday, according to the Civil Defence and the country’s Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management, following days of gruelling firefighting in the forested countryside of the coastal Latakia province.
The blazes, which started 10 days ago and swept through the heavily wooded area of several mountain ranges, were fanned by strong winds, scorching summer heat and unexploded ordnance left behind from Syria’s 13-year civil war.
Firefighters faced hazardous conditions with support from aerial teams and engineering units working to open firebreaks in the dense terrain.
In a statement, the Civil Defence said the spread of the fire was halted on Sunday morning, following “extensive efforts by firefighting teams and both helicopter and glider aircraft.” Crews remain on the ground conducting cooling operations and monitoring the area to prevent new flare-ups, it added.
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More than 15,000 hectares of forest were burned, according to Abed al-Kafi Kayal, a civil defence team leader. “There are no injuries among residents,” he told the Associated Press. “Some firefighters were hurt, mostly from slipping, road conditions or the intensity of the flames.”
Firefighting helicopters swept low over ridgelines on Saturday, dumping water onto hot spots as ground crews worked below to contain flare-ups. Among the pilots were defectors who had left the Syrian Air Force in 2012 during the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. Now, some have rejoined under the new government and are contributing to the emergency effort.
Colonel Ameen al-Ameen, who returned to service after 14 years, said his team has been flying “day and night” for 10 consecutive days. “We are extinguishing fires and doing our duty toward our country and people, who need us after this long period,” he said.
By Saturday evening, teams had successfully contained hot spots on all fronts. The civil defence statement praised the “tremendous efforts” of Syrian firefighters along with Turkish and Arab support teams, and noted that roads and fire lines were being cut through the forest to help prevent future spread.
A Syrian helicopter drops water to extinguish a forest fire near the town of Rabia on Saturday.Ghaith Alsayed/The Associated Press
Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed al-Saleh said the firefighting efforts had reached a “promising stage” by Saturday night. “The scene is changing, the smoke is clearing and teams continue working intensively to extinguish remaining hot spots,” he said.
The United Nations also stepped in to support the emergency response. UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Syria, Adam Abdelmoula, announced on Thursday the allocation of US$625,000 from the Syria Humanitarian Fund to assist those affected.
Initial UN assessments suggest thousands have been displaced, with significant damage to farmland, infrastructure and livelihoods in the coastal region. UN agencies said they are co-ordinating closely with local authorities and stand ready to mobilize further aid if needed.
“The wildfires have had catastrophic consequences on the local communities and require our immediate attention,” said Abdelmoula. He called on international donors to step up, warning that “timely and flexible funding is critical to saving lives and protecting communities in moments of crisis.”
Al-Saleh praised the assistance of firefighting teams from Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Qatar.
“We promise our people that we will not leave until the last spark has been extinguished,” he said.
Summer fires are common in the eastern Mediterranean region, where experts warn that climate change is intensifying conditions that lead to blazes.
Also, below-average rainfall over the winter left Syrians struggling with water shortages this summer, as the springs and rivers that normally supply much of the population with drinking water have gone dry.
Wildfire flames engulf a forest in Syria's Latakia countryside on Saturday. The fires were spread by strong winds, summer heat and unexploded ordnance left over from the country's long civil war.Ghaith Alsayed/The Associated Press