Syrian authorities announced on Sunday that the massive wildfires in the country’s northwest Latakia province have been brought under control after 10 days of intense firefighting efforts. The fires, which broke out on July 3 amid an intense heatwave across the region, destroyed approximately 100 square kilometers of forest and farmland.
According to Raed al-Saleh, Syria’s minister for emergencies and disaster management, civil defense and firefighting teams “managed to halt the spread of the fire on all fronts” with help from Turkish, Jordanian, Lebanese, Qatari, and Iraqi teams.
The Syrian Civil Defense agency stated that teams on the ground are working to cool down the affected areas while monitoring any signs of reignition. “Firefighting teams are intensively working to extinguish remaining hotspots and cool the areas already put out,” al-Saleh said. “The situation is moving toward containment followed by comprehensive cooling operations.” Despite the progress, al-Saleh warned that “there are still threats due to wind activity, but we are working to prevent any renewed fire expansion”.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that the fires forced evacuations, but authorities have not reported any casualties. Several towns in Latakia province were evacuated as a precautionary measure. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization noted that Syria has “not seen such bad climate conditions in 60 years,” highlighting the country’s vulnerability to climate change.
International support played a crucial role in containing the fires. Turkey sent two firefighting aircraft, 11 fire trucks, and water support vehicles to aid in the efforts. The United Nations also pledged $625,000 from the Syria Humanitarian Fund to support affected communities. U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator Adam Abdelmoula emphasized the need for urgent international support, stating that “the wildfires have had catastrophic consequences on the local communities and require our immediate attention”.
The wildfires in Latakia are a stark reminder of the increasing threat of climate-related disasters in the region. As Syria continues to rebuild and recover from years of conflict, the country faces new challenges posed by climate change, including droughts, heatwaves, and wildfires. With the support of the international community, Syria is working to mitigate the impact of these disasters and build a more resilient future.