Regime authorities unable to contain fires | Latakia experiences largest series of wildfires, with other blazes in Homs and Tartous countryside
Wildfires are still devouring tens of kilometers of farmlands and bushes in different areas in Latakia, Tartous and Homs, amid almost full inability by regime authorities to extinguish and contain these fires, especially since these fires extended to civilian houses due to the strong wind.
In this context, reliable SOHR sources have confirmed that Beit Arkoush village in Mashta Al-Holow in Tartous countryside has been completely burnt, along with the spread of fires to other villages.
Moreover, blazes broke out in Al-Jewaykhat village in Ain Al-Wadi area in the western countryside of Homs, devouring large spaces of orchards, farmlands and civilian houses.
The blazes in Banyas also caused considerable damage to greenhouses and burnt down large number of residential houses, amid fears of the spread of fires to other houses.
Meanwhile, fires continue in the villages of Ballouran, Zaghrin and Um Al-Toyour, near Latakia-Kasab highway.
Furthermore, wildfires have continued in several villages in Qardaha countryside, Al-Hafsah and the far countryside of Jablah, on the administrative border with Qardaha. On the other hand, several families have been displaced towards Latakia city because of sick smoke and the spread of fires which led to the burning down of warehouses affiliated to the tobacco public institution in Qardaha city.
SOHR activists have also reported that the Syrian regime authorities have evacuated Al-Basel hospital in Al-Qardaha city and transported all patients to the hospital in Jabla city, as fires approach.
SOHR sources said yesterday that two civilians died and more than 20 others sustained various burns and suffered from suffocation, as a result of fires which broke out in the areas of al-Qardaha, al-Haffa and Bellooran in rural Latakia.
Observatory activists monitored ongoing arsons in the villages of Bellooran, Zagrin, Um al-Tuyour and Wadi Qandil in Latakia countryside, which resulted in the displacement of hundreds of families and the burning of thousands of donums of agricultural land and forestry.
In Banias, large areas of agricultural land, greenhouses, fruit-bearing tree and bushes in the villages and towns of Harisoon, Ras al-Wata, Belghons and Bustan al-Hammam, were engulfed in flames in the Al-Anaza area. While the fire spread to Banyas-Latakia international highway.
Similarly, the fire spread to civilian houses in the Latakia Mountains, where residents were evacuated from several other villages before the fire reached them.
Reliable sources informed the Syrian Observatory that most of the residents of Um al-Tuyour on Latakia highway had evacuated their homes, after the fire in their town raged and reached homes. No human losses were reported.
A few hours earlier, Syrian Observatory activists reported ongoing large blazes which suddenly broke out in the early hours of Friday morning in the countryside of Latakia, Al-Qardaha, Jablah, and Hama. Fire caught forests and orchards in the following areas:
- Ghalmasiyyah, Al-Boudy and Benjarou, in Jablah countryside.
- Kalmakhu, Jabal Al-Arin, Qumin, Quayqah, Al-Fakhurah and Beseet in Al-Qardaha, the hometown of the Syrian regime president “Bashar al-Assad”. It is worth noting that some civilians have been evacuated from Quayqah town, in the wake of the spread of fires to the residents’ houses.
- Um Al-Toyour town on Latakia-Kasab highway, where SOHR sources have conformed that the residents fled from their houses after the aggravation and spread of fires to their houses. However, no casualties have been reported.
- Shafi Nouh area where fire caught houses near other houses and olive trees, near the “Naval Academy”, amid attempts by the members from the academy to extinguish the blazes in Jablah countryside.
- Bushes of Al-Dayroun area in western Hama.
- Areas near Al-Muzayanah Dam and the bushes near Um Al-Mees village in the western countryside of Homs.