DAMASCUS, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Firefighters have been battling massive forest wildfires in central, western and northwestern Syria since Wednesday, said state-run and pro-government media outlets.
The fires broke out in the countryside of the central province of Hama, the western coastal provinces of Tartous and Latakia, and the northwestern province of Idlib, burning large swathes of agricultural and forest areas in the areas, with Hama and Latakia most affected.
In statements carried by Sham FM radio on Sunday, Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform Mohammed Hassan Qatana said the fires in the countryside of Hama have been mostly extinguished, except for those in the mountainous Tal Salhab area.
However, firefighters are trying to control new blazes in Hama caused by strong winds. The lack of roads between agricultural areas and the geographic nature of the territories have increased the difficulty in putting out fires.
In Latakia, firefighters took two days to put out a large fire in the Kasab area, but the fires forced the evacuation of a village in the countryside and killed two people. Several others were hospitalized for breathing difficulties.
A total of 16 fires broke out in Idlib, the largest of which was near the Khirbet al-Joz area. Displaced persons camps in the province were also affected by the fires.
Military helicopters are taking part in the firefighting operations in Hama and Latakia, according to Sham FM radio.
The Forestry Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform said on Sunday that the country is still on high alert for possible new fires in forest areas until Monday.
