Emergency response underway as forest fires hit Latakia and Hama
By Safaa Suleiman
Latakia, Syria (North Press) – Firefighting teams are battling forest fires across Latakia and Hama, as strong winds ignite new blazes, civil defense officials told North Press
Ali Qiqoni, a civil defense official, reported that emergency teams are working continuously to control the fires and prevent their spread to new areas. Firefighting operations are ongoing near Deir Mama and Al-Sanmiya, as well as several locations in Hama countryside.
An eyewitness from Kessab told North Press that a new fire broke out in the al-Shoara area, about 500 meters to one kilometer from the nearest inhabited location. The cause of the fire remains unknown, while officials warned that flames reaching wooded areas and valleys could spread along multiple fronts.
Communities in the southeastern Latakia countryside, including villages in Jableh district, have been on high alert since Wednesday, following the expansion of fires from the al-Ghab Plain in Hama countryside into villages such as Beit Yashout and Ain al-Sharqiya. Local residents, civil defense teams, and volunteers have been collaborating in intensive firefighting efforts.
On Thursday, fires reignited in northern Latakia near the Turkish border, in the al-Yamdiya and Kessab areas. Firefighters faced significant challenges due to high temperatures, strong winds, and rugged mountainous terrain. Civil defense teams released images documenting firefighting operations in Bruma, Ara in Jabal al-Akrad, as well as Kessab and al-Yamdiya.
Ibrahim al-Hussein, head of the Civil Defense Search, Rescue, and Firefighting Program, confirmed that threats to vegetation remain high amid the ongoing fire wave affecting Hama, Idlib, Homs, Latakia, and Tartous. He warned of potential environmental, climatic, and societal impacts, particularly during this year’s dry season.
A report by the Agriculture and Rural Development Organization last month indicated that the widespread fires destroyed more than 10,000 hectares of forested and agricultural land in Latakia countryside, equivalent to around 100 square kilometers, representing over three percent of Syria’s total forest cover. Flames have affected at least 28 sites, causing significant damage to forests, farms, and homes in villages including Beit Ayoush, al-Mazra’a, Saboura, and al-Basit.
The fires have forced more than 1,120 residents to evacuate their homes, while around 5,000 people, including children, the elderly, and patients with respiratory conditions, have been affected by the dense smoke that spread to Hama city and surrounding areas, as well as southern Idlib.