Wildfires Rage Amid Heatwave in Syria’s Latakia; Majority Under Control

Syria’s northwestern province of Latakia is facing a challenging situation as numerous wildfires continue to spread during a scorching heatwave. Officials reported that firefighters are battling the blazes, and considerable progress has been made in controlling most of them.

Latakia Governor Amer Ismail Hilal stated that firefighters have been tirelessly working to control new fires that have engulfed vast areas of agricultural and forest land for the past two days. Approximately 70 percent of the regional fires have been brought under control, according to the Civil Defense Commander in Latakia. The fires have broken out randomly in disconnected areas, posing additional difficulties.

The wildfires began on Tuesday in a forested region, and the combination of strong winds and rugged mountainous terrain has contributed to their rapid spread. Preliminary estimates indicate that over 5 square km of land has been completely consumed by the flames. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fires, and a comprehensive assessment of the damages is currently underway.