Firefighting and Civil Defense volunteers stand in a forest with Environment Minister Nasser Yassin. (Courtesy of a volunteer with the Road to Akkar group).)
BEIRUT — The head of the Federation of Dinnieh Municipalities, Muhammad Saadieh, said on Wednesday that the efforts of the Lebanese Army, Civil Defense, volunteer teams and the town’s forestry center have been conducive to extinguishing the fire in the pine forests of al-Safira town in Dinnieh, the state-run National News Agency reported.
Here’s what we know:
• A spokesperson for the Lebanese Civil Defense confirmed to L’Orient Today that the fire in Dinnieh has been “completely extinguished.”
• Saadieh on his part said, “Two Lebanese Army helicopters are taking part in the extinguishing process,” adding, “the fires that erupted yesterday reached large areas of wild pine trees … and that the damages cannot be calculated until after the end of the extinguishing work.”
• Saadieh claimed the wildfire was set on purpose, pointing out that "in light of the high prices of fuel people resorted to firewood, but this does not allow them to burn forests or cut trees randomly." He also added that the federation is “in the process of establishing a disaster room to intervene and follow up on such disasters that may occur in the future."
• The fire erupted Tuesday night in the pine forests on the outskirts of the towns of Batramaz and al-Safira in the Dinnieh area of North Lebanon. Caretaker Environment Minister Nasser Yassin headed north this morning to follow up on the latest developments and efforts to put out the fire. He also announced that the Cypriot government will be contacted for possible help if the fire continues to spread, according to comments reported by our correspondent.