Syria records nearly 10,800 fires this year as Civil Defense battles blazes, road crashes
DAMASCUS: Syrian Civil Defense teams have responded to 10,791 fires across the country since the start of 2026, as authorities warned that rising temperatures and the harvest season continue to drive fire risks while emergency crews also handled hundreds of road accidents.
Figures compiled from Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reports show the Civil Defense, operating under the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management, responded to 8,821 fires between Jan. 1 and June 19, and another 1,970 fires reported between June 21 and July 6.
Of the total fires recorded this year, 1,362 occurred in agricultural fields and crop lands, while the remaining 9,429 involved residential homes, commercial premises, dry vegetation, grasslands, trees, forests, garbage sites and electrical wiring.
The Civil Defense said agricultural fires have increased alongside higher temperatures and the harvest season, prompting repeated appeals for residents to avoid lighting fires near farmland and forests, safely dispose of cigarette butts and glass containers, and remove dry vegetation without burning it.
