UN teams have been posted to the Syrian coast to “determine the scale of the disaster” as firefighters battle wildfires raging for a fifth consecutive day.
The flames have forced hundreds to flee their homes and destroyed vast agricultural land and vital infrastructure, according to UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Adam Abdelmoula.
The UN teams have been charged with conducting urgent assessments to determine the scale of damage and to identify the most immediate humanitarian needs, said Mr Abdelmoula in a statement. “The United Nations stands ready to swiftly mobilise support for authorities and affected communities,” he wrote.
The forest fires rampaging across Syria's coastal area have affected about 10,000 hectares of land and turned hundreds of thousands of forest trees “into ashes”, said Raed Al Saleh, Syria's Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management, who described the situation as “very tragic”.
The coast where most of the fires have occurred contains most of Syria's green cover, about 4,000 square kilometres, or 2 per cent of Syria's land mass, according to data recorded in 2010 before the country's civil war broke out.
“We deeply regret and mourn every tree that has burned, which was a source of clean air for us and our future generations,” wrote Mr Al Saleh on X.
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A member of the Alhayat Volunteer Team uses an oxygen mask while receiving treatment for smoke inhalation as a wildfire ravages the countryside near the town of Rabia in Syria. AP -
Smoke rises as the wildfire burns for a fifth day in Rabia. AP -
A Turkish helicopter drops water on the flames. AP -
An emergency worker exhausted after battling to extinguish a wildfire near the town of Rabia, in Syria's Latakia countryside. AP -
The White Helmets attempt to quell the flames. AP -
Acrid smoke rises as the wildfire burns near Rabia. AP -
The wildfire can be seen from miles away. AP -
A drone captured this view of billowing smoke and flames. Reuters -
Charred remains of an area of forest in the Latakia countryside. AP -
Workers douse the flames with water. AP
Firefighting teams from Turkey and Jordan have joined efforts with the Syrian civil defence and local volunteers to help put out the flames, providing support both on the ground and with helicopters. Lebanon has also sent two firefighting helicopters to support operations in co-ordination with Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Firefighting efforts on Monday were focused on preventing the flames from reaching Al Frunloq natural reserve, classified as one of the largest and most important forests in Syria, said Mr Al Saleh in an update posted to his account on X.
“We confirm that efforts are ongoing, and the challenges are significant due to strong winds, the nature of the terrain, and the risk from war remnants, but the teams’ determination to protect lives and forests remains unwavering,” wrote the Syrian minister.
