Arsons in Latakia forests | Helicopters participate in extinguishing fires, and dozens of trucks transport timber for sale in Syrian provinces
The fires continue devouring the forests in western countryside of Hama. A large fire broke out this evening in the forestlands of the villages of Ain al-Shams and Kaf al-Habash in Masyaf countryside, while fire crews were able to put out a large part of the fires of the towns of Hazor, Ain Halakim and Beit Ataq and in the forestlands of the villages of Al-Haylouna and Al-Laqbeh in Hama countryside.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has monitored dozens of trucks carrying forest wood which burned in the past days. Trucks set off from fire sites in rural Latakia and Hama to Syrian provinces via Hama road, to be sold at high prices on markets.
According to local sources, the fires in the Latakia mountain range were arsons, while regime forces arrested several people for timber trafficking and committing arsons.
Yesterday, the Syrian Observatory monitored helicopters and firefighting airplane extinguishing fire in the rugged areas of Ras al-Sha’ara area in the mountains of Latakia, after fire crews were unable to put it out. Aerial firefighting was able to contain some of the fires.
This comes more than a week after the fires broke out and spread dramatically.
Regime soldiers were sent yesterday evening with primitive equipment, which were useless and not suitable for fighting such blazes, to support the fire brigades. SOHR activists have also monitored the displacement of tens of families from villages and towns of Masyaf countryside because of the thick smoke which covered their areas, causing shortness of breath, in addition to their fear of the possible extension of fires to their houses.
Yesterday, Observatory activists monitored the spread of fires on eastern mountainside of the Latakia mountain range in the administrative areas of Hama governorate, in the forest between Ain Halaqim and Ain Shams villages in Masyaf countryside. Moreover, the fires approached residential houses there, and devoured hundreds of donums of farmland.
As fires broke out in forests in rough places in rural Latakia and Hama, where it was difficult for fire crews to reach such sites, the fire devoured large swathes.
It is worth noting that forests are experiencing seasonal arsons that are renewed each year, as some powerful people encroach on forest territories and cut trees to use them in coal industry, since the price of coal increased in the wake of fuel high prices. In addition, these powerful individuals invest in this land by planting olive trees in order to take over these plots of land later.