Wildfires reignite in Syria’s Latakia, burning over 15,000 hectares
LATAKIA, Syria (North Press) – Wildfires reignited on Wednesday evening in the mountainous regions of Latakia, western Syria, after already consuming more than 15,000 hectares since they began, according to Syria’s Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management, Raed al-Saleh.
In a post on the “X”, al-Saleh stated that the fires have destroyed vast areas of agricultural and forest land along the Syrian coast, describing the scale of devastation as “a reflection of the magnitude of the disaster we are facing.”
He added that the fires, now burning for a seventh consecutive day, flared up again in the Karen Kol and al-Baraka areas of the Qastal Ma’af district due to strong winds. Despite the renewed outbreak, firefighting teams are continuing their operations to contain the flames and prevent further spread.
“While we are still actively battling the fires, we are also working on a comprehensive plan to protect our forests and prevent such incidents in the future,” al-Saleh noted.
He praised the efforts of the Syrian Civil Defense, firefighting units, and forestry brigades, as well as Turkish and Jordanian teams, calling their work “heroic.” Aerial support has also been provided by helicopters from Syria, Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon.