Bushfires in regime-held areas | Over 200 sites burned down, dozens of areas and forests in Latakia, Tartus and Homs damaged, and over 100 injuries, four deaths and 27,000 affected families

Huge fires have engulfed large areas of forests, reserves and agricultural farms from the rural latakia and Tartus on the Syrian coast to Homs countryside, over the past 5 days.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has documented the burning of more than 200 sites and the damage of dozens of villages and the burning of some of them completely.

Areas in al-Qardaha, the stronghold of the Syrian regime’s head, Bashar al-Assad, saw the largest fires. The names of burned villages and towns are as follows: (1) Zentot, (2) Bassot, (3) Al-Fakhoura area, (4) Al-Rija, (5) Deir Hanna, (6) Kalwariya, (7) Kalmakho, (8) Deir Zinon, (9) Jabal al-Arbaeen, (10) Al-Mahalba Castle, (11) Kafraz, (12) Qalamoun, (13) Qurousso, (14) Wadi Jalila, (15) Jabal al-Arin, (16) Bakie’a, (17) Bahawaria, (18) Al-Jobeiria, (19) Bhamra, (20) Bakneh, (21) Beit Sohein, (22) Nina, (23) Dabbash, (24) Quiqa, (25) Mairban, (26) Qomin, (27) Talaro, (28) Harf al-Hawa, (29) Sheikh Reeh, (30) Astamu, (31) Ain Jindal, (32) the perimeter of the main road of the city of Qardaha, (33) General Tobacco Storage Department and (34) national hospital perimeter.” 

The Syrian Observatory has also documented the burning of various areas of forests, reserves, mountains and agricultural farms and land in the villages and towns of Jabala. The villages and towns affected are as follows: (1) Bsheli, (2) Qarn Haliya, (3) Castle of Bani Qahtan, (4) Al-Boody, (5) Horan al-Boody, (6) al-Mardasiya, (7) Kfardabil, (8) Betman, (9) Al-Sakhabeh al-Ajrad, (10) Bisotar, (11) Ras Maloukh, (12) Ras Al Ain, (13) Ghanili, (14) Bashili, (15) Al-Safarqiya, (16) Qarous, (17) Sakhaba, (18) Sarbyoun, (19) Kfarya, (20) Daher Barakat, (21) Raoush, (22) Al-Batshah, (23) Ain Jandal, (24) Beit Yashout, (25) Ain Ghannam, (26) the highway, (27) Derotan, (28) Al-Hawiz Dam, (29) Qarfis, (30) Sokas, (31) Wadi Al-Jab, (32) Bastoir, (33) Galmasia, (34) Benjaru and (35) perimeter of the Military College.

In Latakia province, large areas of villages, towns and cities were also burned: “(1) al-Basit, (2) Al-Mazira’a area, (3) the vicinity of Salah al-Din Al-Ayoubi Castle, (4) Ras al-Basit beach, (4) Al-Hafa, (5) the mountains surrounding Peloran Dam, (6) Qastal Ma’af, (7) Um al-Touyour, (8) Salhia, (9) Al-Sukkaria, (10) Al-Manara, (11) Al-Shouh reserve in Slounfa area, (12) Al-Qamohia. (13) Basta, (14) Ayn al-Teena, (15) Al-Badrousia, (16) Rastin, (17) Biadar Maiz, (18) Nabeie al Khandaq, (19) two forest fires in the area of Kassab, and another one in the area of al-Sharaa, and another in Salamiya area, as well as moderate fires in Jab Hassan, Maronites and Qataris.”

As for Tartus governorate, the Syrian Observatory has monitored huge fires which engulfed the following areas: “Mount Al-Sayyida in Mashta al-Helou, Kafroun, Harsh al-Medirjat, Al-Masaqsaq, banks of Al-Bassil dam, Zamrin, Jabal Hamad, Zgrin, Jenenat Raslan”.

In Banias, fires broke out in the areas of “Sheikh Hamdan, Serges, Al-Anaza area, Belghons, Harisson, Ras al-Wata, Bustan al-Hammam, and the fires reached the greenhouses and the international road Banyas-Latakia”.

In Homs governorate, fires have devoured large areas of forests and agricultural farms in “Burj Ali, Zweitina, Broken Tower, Habnemra, Dam al-Mazinaa, Um al-Mays, Al-Jawikhat, al-Muzayna, forests located near the village of Um al-Mays, Ayoun al-Wadi and al-Jamous.”

The fires resulted in four deaths and more than 100 injuries due to the smoke caused by the largest series of fires in Syria. And more than 27,000 families, livestock and infrastructure in the areas where fires broke out have been affected.