Firefighters Douse Blazes Raging in Latakia Countryside, Syria

Syrian firefighters have gained control over more than 80% of massive wildfires that have been burning for five days in the Turkmen Mountain area of Latakia province. The fires, which caused significant damage to green spaces in northern Latakia's rural areas, are now being contained after days of round-the-clock firefighting efforts.

Abdul Kafi Kayyal, director of Syria's Civil Defense in Latakia province, said Thursday that firefighting teams have stopped the flames from spreading further. A central operations room continues coordinating efforts as crews carry out cooling operations across more than 10 locations.

The controlled areas include Burj al-Qasab, Deir Hanna, al-Sukariya, al-Rayhaniya, and the road from Rabiaa toward Kasab. Firefighters are now focusing on scattered fire pockets in the villages of Zuwayk, al-Safkoun, and Shamsin, where they're working to cool down areas and fight remaining flames that have shrunk considerably in size.

Kayyal expressed hope that firefighting teams will complete their operations in the coming hours and announce the fires are fully extinguished soon. The civil defense and firefighting teams have been working around the clock under difficult weather conditions, following a studied emergency plan aimed at protecting lives, property, and natural forests.

These forest fires represent a significant environmental and economic challenge for Syria, particularly in coastal regions like Latakia where agriculture and forestry play important roles in the local economy. The mountainous terrain and challenging weather conditions made the firefighting efforts especially difficult, requiring sustained coordination between multiple emergency response teams.

Syria's firefighting capabilities have been tested repeatedly in recent years as the country faces both natural disasters and the ongoing effects of conflict on its infrastructure and emergency services.