Fire ravages forests in Akkar for 3rd consecutive day

BEIRUT — On Friday, for the third consecutive day, a wildfire ravaged the forests overlooking the Wadi Jouhannam valley between the Akkar and Denniyeh regions in northern Lebanon.

The fire, which started on Wednesday evening, has spread to areas that are difficult for firefighters to access due to the mountainous terrain.

But Friday afternoon, thick fog enveloped the mountainous regions of Jurd al-Qayta-Akkar, reducing visibility and preventing military helicopters from accessing the site.

Meanwhile, Civil Defense teams and initial response units from the Union of Jurd al-Qayta Municipalities and the Akkar Trail association were still on the ground working to prevent the fire's spread to new forested areas.

A wildfire in Akkar, northern Lebanon, on July 7, 2023. (Courtesy of Michel Hallak)

On Friday, Mechmech municipality president Mohammed Berri reiterated his urgent call for the dispatch of military helicopters to fight the flames, which were causing significant losses in terms of forest cover.

Another fire broke out in Akkar, a region that is plagued by wildfires nearly every summer, on Sunday. Lebanon is only at the beginning of the forest fire season, and the country has limited capacity and resources to combat the flames.

On June 24, a gigantic forest fire broke out in the Sinn region, also in Akkar, burning at least 90 hectares of forest, ravaging century-old trees and affecting homes.

Reporting contributed by Michel Hallak.