The Palm Islands Reserve Committee in northern Lebanon announced that it has decided to close the reserve until the investigations into the fire that broke out a few days ago, damaging part of it, are completed. The statement read: "Based on the directives of Minister of Environment Nasser Yassin and following the communications he conducted with the Minister of Interior, the Director of Intelligence, and the Environmental Prosecutor, it has been decided to close the Palm Islands Reserve until early next week due to ongoing investigations by the competent judiciary and the committee appointed by the Ministry of Environment to determine the causes of the fire that erupted yesterday afternoon in the reserve, which led to the burning of the wooden birdwatching tower and some other material damages. The committee will announce the reopening of activities on the island in a few days." For its part, the Lebanese Environmental Assembly commented in a statement: "The Palm Islands fire is not a trivial matter. There should be stricter monitoring and penalties."