LONDON: Wildfires swept across Syria’s northwestern Latakia province this month, scorching more than 16,000 hectares of forest and farmland, damaging 45 villages, displacing thousands of civilians, and fragmenting the fragile livelihoods of rural communities.
On July 2, fast-moving fires erupted in the mountainous, densely wooded northern countryside of Latakia, escalating rapidly into a full-blown emergency. Fueled by extreme temperatures, dry conditions, and strong seasonal winds, the fires surged across rugged terrain with little resistance.
After nearly two weeks of relentless burning, Syrian authorities declared the fires fully contained on July 15. Firefighting crews from Turkiye, Iraq, Lebanon, Qatar and Jordan joined Syrian civil defense units in the battle to control the flames, which raged through difficult-to-access forested highlands.
At a joint press conference, Latakia Governor Mohammad Othman and Emergency and Disaster Management Minister Raed Al-Saleh outlined the formidable challenges crews faced. These included landmines, unexploded ordnance, winds exceeding 60 kph, and an absence of firebreaks after years of forest neglect.
Although the flames have been extinguished, the crisis is far from over. “The flames are gone, but the mission has just begun,” Al-Saleh said, cautioning that the long-term effects of the fires could endure for years.
