A member of the Civil Defense after a fire erupted in Akkar's al-Atika area. Civil Defense and volunteers are in the process of cooling the area.
BEIRUT — A fire that erupted in pine forests Monday near the town of Akkar al-Atika, in North Lebanon, is currently under control due to the efforts of the Civil Defense who were mobilized to try to contain it, along with local residents, according to L’Orient Today’s correspondent.
Here’s what we know:
• The fires that broke out were contained from spreading, and the teams continue to cool the affected areas, to avoid the ignition of flames again.
• Many fires take place each year in the country, especially with rising temperatures and prolonged warm seasons. North Lebanon’s Akkar region, which has internationally-recognized and protected forest areas, is prone to forest fires, which have been ongoing in recent months.
• The mayor of the Akkar town of Bireh warned in July that “rogue gangs” were cutting down trees in a nearby oak forest, saying this not only destroyed natural beauty but also threatened the properties of residents as the trees prevent landslides.
• Illegal logging has been a persistent issue in the forests of Akkar amid the economic crisis and in the wake of wildfires that ravaged much of the area.
Additional reporting by Michel Hallak.