LATAKIA/HAMA, Syria (North Press) – Farmers from the Latakia and Idlib countryside inspect their lands and trees after firefighters and people managed to put out the fires, calling on the government to compensate the losses.
North Press took video footage in the countryside of Latakia and Idlib showing hundreds of acres from Latakia Mountains to Ghab Plain completely burnt.
The fire spread in Slinfah, Masya, Ghab Plain, and Latakia Mountains, an event that Hama governor Muhammad Hazori described as a critical situation.
Landowner Raed Ayosh said that due to the delay of the fire brigade and the vehicles of the agriculture directorate, the fires spread rapidly, reaching the eastern and western regions of Friake.
He added, “Fires devoured many forests and burnt everything; the farmers’ losses are countless, most of which were old olive trees. The area needs urgent government intervention.”
Numaan Halom, an employee in the agriculture department, said that the fires peaked on Monday, and with the help of residents in cooperation with firefighters they managed to contain the fires.
He further stated that people of Shatha town helped the fire brigades, but the wind direction prevented them from getting close.
“The green land turned into a sad scene; previously it was the most beautiful green area in Shatha,” he said.
Alaa Saqer, the head of Forestry Department in the Forest Development Management directorate, said that they were waiting to determine the damage until after the firefighter teams intervened to put the fire out.
“Despite the huge fire that burnt swaths of land, no casualties were recorded in the surrounding villages,” Saqer added.
The governorates of Latakia, Tartus, Hama, and Homs have been witnessing the outbreak of fires for two weeks in forests and agricultural lands, which caused great damage to the forests there.