Massive fires swept Lebanon’s forests in several districts, especially the mountainous areas, due to a sudden rise in temperature, in what was described as “the worst fire in Lebanon in decades,” the Lebanese National News Agency reported, late on Monday.
The heat wave and the strong winds in the region helped spread the fires to three provinces in neighbouring Syria.
The civil defense and firefighter teams rushed to the scene to extinguish the fires. However, it did not stop, reaching houses and cars in some of the areas, prompting many people to leave their houses and move to safer regions.
“About 103 massive fires engulfed the Lebanese territory, leading to twenty landmines blasting in Chouf district of Mount Lebanon,” said General Raymond Khattar, the director general of the Lebanese Civil Defense.
Since Monday’s fires, the Lebanese Red Cross (LRC) is doing its best to handle the situation, announcing that LRC had rescued 49 civilians with suffocating cases in the southern village of Na’ame.
In an attempt to save the Lebanese forest and its people, the Lebanese and Cypriot forces partnered up to put the flames out. Greece has also sent two advanced helicopters to try and suppress the fire.
The Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri asserted that “if the fire was started by someone, they will pay,” adding that “an investigation must be opened into the circumstances and causes of the fires.”
