Lebanese Army helicopters and military units are participating in extinguishing fires in the forests of the towns of Bater and Bsaba in Chouf, Bhanin in Jezzine, Harar in Akkar, and Beit Aoukar in Zgharta, alongside units from the Civil Defense. The fire, which reignited on Thursday in the Shawiya and Fakharah area of Bsaba, approached homes, especially with the increase in wind movement. The army command was contacted to send a helicopter, as Civil Defense vehicles were unable to reach the fire site due to the terrain.
Residents urged the army leadership and Civil Defense teams to act quickly to extinguish the fire to prevent it from spreading to homes.
A significant fire also broke out today, Friday, in Jebel Tairball, Zgharta, rapidly advancing towards the neighboring town of Al-Maa.
In Akkar, Civil Defense personnel, reinforced by vehicles and units from the army operating in the area, along with air support from a helicopter, worked from 11:30 AM until 7:20 PM today, Friday, to extinguish a fire in a forest between Qubayyat and Harar.
Firefighters faced several difficulties due to inaccessible roads and steep inclines, while the speed of the wind caused the fire to spread. Several people suffered from smoke inhalation and were transported to hospitals, leading to the evacuation of some homes.
Additionally, a series of fires broke out today in various Akkar towns which were extinguished by the Civil Defense:
- A fire in the outskirts of Dair Janin consumed a stretch of dry grassy land and fruit trees.
- A fire in the town of Ammar al-Baykat engulfed an area of dry grass land.
- A fire in the town of Mamn'a affected dry vegetation.
- A fire in the outskirts of Qubayyat ignited an area of dry grass and wooded trees.
Civil Defense members worked within their respective areas to extinguish the fires and cool burned areas to prevent rekindling.
A fire also erupted inside a restaurant in the town of Barqayel due to an electrical short circuit, destroying all the restaurant's contents. Civil Defense personnel managed to extinguish the flames, and damages were limited to material losses.
Environment Minister Nasser Yassin noted that climate change is exacerbating the intensity and frequency of fires, asserting that most fires in Lebanon result from human negligence. Yassin emphasized the importance of local monitoring by volunteers and environmental organizations, stating they monitor the fires and send photos via social media and WhatsApp to combat and alert about them.
