A wildfire in Akkar, believed to be extinguished Wednesday night, has reignited. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT — A wildfire tamed the previous night in Qabeit Akkar in North Lebanon rekindled Thursday morning sparking fears among local residents, the state-run National News Agency reported.
Here’s what we know:
• The Civil Defense volunteers at the Sadaqah Center, the Akkar Forest Firefighter Team, and the first responders team in the Jdeidet al-Qoteih’s municipalities union were dispatched to tackle the blaze. The same teams succeeded in putting out the fire the previous night.
• “The fires are approaching homes and exacerbating the damage to olive groves and wild pine trees,” the area’s residents told the NNA on Thursday. The wind’s speed was contributing to further spreading the fire and to its approaching a residential area, L’Orient Today’s correspondent in the area reported Wednesday.
• The Environment Ministry warned earlier this month of an increased fire risk in Lebanon. Fire index maps published by the University of Balamand have been recently indicating an elevated risk of fire across Lebanese regions. There have already been several wildfires around Lebanon, and particularly in Akkar, this month.