Syria's Latakia: Three major blazes controlled
Fire crews in Syria's Latakia province have contained three major wildfires, local officials confirmed on Wednesday, as blazes continued for a seventh straight day across the northern countryside.
Latakia Governor Mohammad Othman stated that more than 80 Syrian Civil Defense teams, supported by international responders and aircraft from Turkiye, Jordan, and Lebanon, remain active in the field.
The fires have scorched over 14,000 hectares, Othman noted, adding that rough terrain, intense heat, and shifting winds have hampered operations, while landmines and unexploded ordnance from past conflicts continue to endanger crews and block access routes.
'Flames are still active near Sheikh Hassan village,' he said. 'We've moved engines and teams forward to stop the spread into mountainous zones.'
Meanwhile, Syrian Civil Defense Director Munir Mustafa described the situation as 'improving,' though several zones still need cooling to prevent flare-ups. He reported that the fire swept through forested areas in Wadi, Mount Zahia, and the al-Farnlaq reserve as winds intensified Tuesday night. Despite the conditions, responders protected six villages after preemptive evacuations.
Authorities evacuated more than 25 families from al-Ghassaniyeh in the Kessab subdistrict as flames advanced on residential areas.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
13 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Critical water shortage: Mosul Dam reserves hit an alarming low
Shafaq News – Mosul Iraq's Mosul Dam is facing an unprecedented and critical decline in water storage due to prolonged drought and a sharp drop in inflows, a weather expert warned on Friday. Speaking to Shafaq News Agency, meteorologist Sadeq Al-Attiyah stated that the dam has lost over half of its water reserves within just one year, plunging from 8 billion cubic meters to around 3 billion. 'This sharp decline reflects the gravity of the current situation,' he cautioned. Al-Attiyah pointed to a recently published animated graphic that clearly illustrates the dramatic loss in the dam's upper reservoir, underscoring the speed and scale of the drop in storage levels. While Iraq's Ministry of Water Resources recently announced that Turkiye has increased water releases into Iraq to 130 cubic meters per second—up from 60—the ministry acknowledged that the current volume remains insufficient to meet the country's actual river needs. Earlier, Ramadan Hamza, an expert in water resource policy and strategy, told Shafaq News that Iraq is unlikely to benefit substantially from the increased Turkish releases.
Shafaq News
15 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Basra leads: 6 Iraqi cities among world's hottest
Shafaq News - Basra Basra province, along with five other Iraqi regions, ranked among the 15 hottest places on Earth over the past 24 hours, according to the Placerville weather station in California. Basra International Airport topped the list with a scorching 48.2°C (118.8°F), marking the highest recorded temperature on Earth during the period. It was followed by Adrar in Algeria at 47.9°C, and Béni Abbès (referred to as Bedoun 5) in Algeria at 47.6°C. In Salah, also in Algeria, came fourth with 47.5°C, while Omidiyeh in Iran ranked fifth with the same temperature. Amarah, in southeastern Iraq, came sixth, registering 47.3°C. Ahvaz in Iran and the Al-Hussein neighborhood in Basra followed in seventh and eighth place, respectively, both recording 47.1°C. The Iranian city of Abadan ranked ninth with 47.0°C, while Al-Ahsa in Saudi Arabia came in tenth at 46.8°C. Kuwait International Airport also recorded 46.8°C, placing it eleventh on the list. Nasiriyah in southern Iraq was ranked twelfth with 46.8°C, followed by Tikrit in central Iraq, also at 46.8°C. Qarn Alam in Oman was fourteenth with 46.7°C, and Karbala in central Iraq rounded out the list in fifteenth place with 46.6°C.
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Shafaq News
Firefighting crews contain most Lattakia wildfires
Shafaq News – Lattakia On Thursday, Syrian emergency teams gained near-total control over wildfires raging in northern Lattakia province, with only two inaccessible hotspots remaining in the mountainous Turkmen region. Syria's Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management, Raed al-Saleh, reported that cooling operations began at 4 am after the main fire centers were brought under control. However, strong winds reignited flames in several areas. One fire zone lies in an isolated valley reachable only by air, while the second is on a landmine-contaminated mountainside that witnessed several explosions earlier today, though no injuries were reported among firefighting personnel. The minister confirmed ongoing coordination with European countries and Iraq for aerial support, noting that Turkiye responded most swiftly, deploying 12 firefighting planes, specialized vehicles, and ground crews.
