Latakia, northwest Syria – Forest fires have persisted for the eighth consecutive day in the Latakia countryside in northwest Syria, despite authorities announcing control over most fire points on Wednesday.
Large fires broke out in the forests of Al-Farnalq in northern Latakia, accompanied by thick smoke plumes, according to the Syrian Civil Defense (White Helmets) Facebook page.
The Civil Defense stated that its teams and firefighting units faced significant difficulties while attempting to extinguish fires in Tal al-Nasr area in Jabal al-Turkman, northern Latakia.
Strong winds expanded the flames across multiple sites, challenging firefighting efforts, which were further complicated by the presence of landmines, war remnants, difficult terrain, changing wind directions, and high temperatures.
The White Helmets reported a tough night for firefighters on Wednesday due to fire spreading into a steep valley in Sheikh Hassan area of Qastal Ma’af, northern Latakia. Despite firebreaks, strong winds caused the flames to leap from active hotspots into the valley.
Read also: UN Teams Begin Assessing Damage from Latakia Wildfires
On Wednesday, the European Commission for Equality and Crisis Management activated the “Copernicus” service to assist local response efforts to the Syrian coastal fires.
Commissioner Haga Habib said in statement posted on X that the EU activated Copernicus to support local response efforts with satellite images.
She added that the ongoing fires in Syria have displaced thousands and severely damaged vital services and rural communities amid already difficult humanitarian conditions.
Copernicus is an EU Earth observation program providing accurate and reliable environmental data from satellites and ground sources, covering areas such as atmosphere, oceans, climate change, and disaster management.
The Syrian government also announced Wednesday that several EU countries, including Italy, Greece, and Cyprus, will participate in firefighting operations in Latakia starting today. These efforts will operate out of Cypriot airports.
