By Safaa Suleiman
Latakia, Syria (North Press) – Villagers in the Hama and Jableh countryside have taken a central role in combating a series of wildfires that swept through the region over the past week, threatening thousands of hectares of centuries-old orchards and forests.
Despite limited firefighting equipment and challenging terrain, local residents mobilized rapidly, using hand pumps, manual sprayers, branches, and other improvised tools to contain the flames until additional support arrived.
“Fires ignited from multiple points, and people from different villages in Al-Ghab came together to help. By collective effort, we managed to extinguish large sections ourselves,” said Ali, a resident of the village of Faqru, to North Press.
Hassan, from Al-Ghab plain, emphasized the importance of inter-village cooperation: “We used basic tools—sprayers, hand pumps, and tree branches. With the dedication of our youth, we prevented the fire from spreading to wider areas.”
Hisham, a resident of Nahr al-Bared, reported that the fires persisted for four consecutive days and spread across several axes due to strong winds. “The flames reached Faqru and neighboring villages including al-Ramiya, Rashi, Mazhal, and Ain al-Kurum. We carried water over long distances, sometimes up to a kilometer, to reach the fire’s core,” he said.
The fires forced temporary evacuations in villages like Ain al-Kurum and Nahr al-Bared, causing dozens of cases of smoke inhalation and the death of numerous livestock. Villagers highlighted delays in the arrival of civil defense teams, with some tensions reported between residents and security personnel during firefighting operations.
Despite these challenges, the resilience and coordination of local communities remained the most striking aspect of the response. Villagers’ swift action not only prevented further destruction but also underscored their crucial role in protecting local heritage and farmland.