Syrian Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management, Raed al-Saleh, announced on Saturday, July 5, that a field meeting was held with the Turkish side in the border area of Yayladağı, near Jabal al-Turkman, to coordinate joint intervention and response to the forest fires in Lattakia Governorate.
Al-Saleh confirmed that it was agreed with the Turkish side to deploy two firefighting helicopters this morning. He also stated that 11 vehicles (8 fire engines and 3 water supply trailers) entered Syria to participate in the firefighting operations in Lattakia’s forests, according to al-Ikhbariya Syria.
Although Turkish intervention was initially planned for last night, sudden wildfires in Turkey delayed the arrival of participating teams until Saturday morning, al-Saleh noted.
“This coordination is taking place between the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management and the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the Turkish side to ensure preparedness, field data exchange, and enhanced rapid response to protect our people in the mountainous border areas,” he added.
The wildfires continue to expand in northern Lattakia countryside as of Saturday, July 5, fueled by weather conditions that are hindering firefighting efforts and accelerating the spread of the flames. This has led to the closure of main roads and the evacuation of additional residents from villages near danger zones.
Ali Qaiqouni, media official for the Syrian Civil Defense in Lattakia, told Enab Baladi that the fires are still ongoing and no containment percentage can be confirmed, due to the fire’s expansion and retreat caused by wind.
The challenging mountainous terrain, along with war remnants in the area, adds to the complexity of extinguishing the fires, according to the Civil Defense.
Syrian Minister of Interior Anas Khattab also announced today that the Internal Security Forces are supporting Civil Defense teams in extinguishing fires that have spread widely in Qastal Maaf in rural Lattakia, according to a post on his X account.
On Friday evening, July 4, Minister al-Saleh arrived in Lattakia to oversee fire control efforts. He stated that if conditions remain stable, significant progress in controlling the fire is expected in the coming hours. More than 62 teams are currently working to extinguish the fires, according to al-Ikhbariya Syria.
Al-Saleh added that the ministry’s main goal is to protect civilians, noting that some families have already been evacuated from wildfire zones in rural Lattakia.
Abdel Kafi Kayyal, director of the Syrian Civil Defense in Lattakia, told Enab Baladi on Friday, July 4, that the fires are among the most difficult due to the rough terrain, presence of landmines and unexploded ordnance, and lack of access routes to the fire sites.
Kayyal explained that the wildfires are very extensive, covering a diameter of more than 20 kilometers, affecting roads linking areas such as al-Bassit, Qastal Maaf, and Beit al-Qusair, as well as nearby villages—further complicating firefighting efforts.
He urged civilians and tourists in the region to avoid these roads, and called on those living near or within forested areas to evacuate temporarily until the fires are brought under control.
Turkish aircraft intervene to extinguish Lattakia wildfires Enab Baladi.
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