Fire continues to rage in Baskinta pine forest

BEIRUT — A major fire has been raging since Friday night in a pine forest near the village of Baskinta, in the Metn region of Lebanon, the Civil Defense reported.

Here's what we know: 

    • The fire was still spreading Saturday morning, despite the efforts of the Civil Defense and the army to extinguish it.

    • According to the LBCI TV channel, five teams of the Civil Defense are currently on the scene endeavoring to overcome the flames. Three military helicopters have been mobilized to assist them, as the fire approaches agricultural and residential areas.

    • Lebanese Forces MP for the region Razi Al Hajj said on Twitter that the fire is of criminal origin, calling on the security forces to intervene "immediately" to apprehend the culprits.

    • Fires are common in Lebanon, especially during the dry summer season. Firefighters and the Civil Defense are severely lacking in resources needed to combat such fires in light of the country's economic collapse.