Focus

Firefighters battle raging wildfires in Syria's Latakia amid heatwave

27 Jul 2023 12:20pm
Photo by Adnan Beci / AFP
Photo by Adnan Beci / AFP

DAMASCUS, Syria - Fire crews on Wednesday battled numerous blazes amid a heatwave and have controlled most of them in Syria's northwestern province of Latakia, said officials, reported Xinhua.

Amer Ismail Hilal, governor of Latakia, said firefighters have been trying to control new blazes in the area for two days as flames have burnt large swathes of agricultural and forest areas in Latakia.

About 70 per cent of the regional fires were controlled, the Civil Defence Commander in Latakia told local media.

He noted that the fires randomly broke out in areas not connected to each other.

The current fires in Latakia started on Tuesday in a forested region. Strong winds and the difficult-to-reach mountainous terrain contributed to the rapid spread of fire.

According to Bassem Douba, director of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform in Latakia, preliminary estimation indicated that over 5,000 dunums (five square km) were burned entirely.

An investigation into the cause of the fires and a final estimation of their damage are underway, said officials. - BERNAMA

Related Articles:
syria
fire
latakia
heatwave
More Like This
US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday suggested that he may allow TikTok to continue operations in the United States. - Photo: XINHUA
US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday suggested that he may allow TikTok to continue operations in the United States. - Photo: XINHUA
World Trump says may keep TikTok around 'for a little while'
The nation's top court is set to hear arguments on Jan 10 regarding whether the law unconstitutionally limits freedom of speech, in breach of the First Amendment.
Police officers stand guards during an anti-Yoon Suk Yeol public activity, as the South Korean President is expected to face impeachment following his declaration of an emergency martial law, in Seoul, South Korea, on 04 December, 2024. - Anadolu Agency file photo
Police officers stand guards during an anti-Yoon Suk Yeol public activity, as the South Korean President is expected to face impeachment following his declaration of an emergency martial law, in Seoul, South Korea, on 04 December, 2024. - Anadolu Agency file photo
World Police analysing Yoon's phone records in martial law probe
Police are also working to obtain a secure phone used by Yoon and its records from the Presidential Security Service.
Photo for illustrative purposes only - Canva
Photo for illustrative purposes only - Canva
World Health warning issued over flesh-eating ulcer in Southeast Australian state
The Department of Health in Victoria on Friday said that cases of Buruli ulcer are spreading across the state, including in inner Melbourne.
Donald Trump's transition team is pushing to pull the United States out of the WHO on the first day of the new administration, according to experts who warn of the "catastrophic" impact it would have on global health, the Financial Times reported. - Photo: XINHUA
Donald Trump's transition team is pushing to pull the United States out of the WHO on the first day of the new administration, according to experts who warn of the "catastrophic" impact it would have on global health, the Financial Times reported. - Photo: XINHUA
World US withdrawal from WHO would be 'catastrophic' - Expert
Members of Trump's team told experts of their intention to announce withdrawal from the global health body on the president-elect's Jan 20 inauguration, noting that the departure would remove WHO's biggest source of funds, damaging its ability to respond to public health crises such...