A forest fire in Btormaz, Denniyeh region, North Lebanon on March 2, 2023. (Credit Michel Hallak)
On Tuesday, the ministry of Environment and the Civil Defense issued a statement warning about an increased risk of wildfires in most regions of Lebanon starting Thursday due to high temperatures.
In the statement, the ministry cited the forecasts from the Fire Observatory at the University of Balamand, which indicated higher wildfire risk in certain regions of Lebanon in the coming days, including Akkar, Minieh-Denniyeh, Batroun, Baabda, Metn, Chouf, Jezzine, Bint Jbeil, Nabatiyeh, and the interior areas of the Bekaa.
The Civil Defense explained that all regions of the country are currently being exposed to hot and dry air masses originating from the Arabian Peninsula, which are leading to a significant increase in temperatures. "Temperatures in the interior and southern parts of the country are expected to reach up to 40 degrees Celsius during the day by Friday," the statement added.
In light of the situation, the Civil Defense advised against using fireworks and firecrackers.
The ministry recommended downloading the Fire Patrol application and enabling notifications to receive periodic alerts about the risk of forest fires in specific areas.
The Civil Defense emphasized the importance of contacting the emergency operations center at the number 125 in case of need or visiting the website www.civildefense.gov.lb.
Earlier in July, a wildfire devastated forested areas between Akkar and Denniyeh in north Lebanon for several consecutive days.
Wildfires are a recurring problem in Lebanon, especially in the north during the summer and autumn seasons. In recent weeks, wildfires have been occurring almost daily, particularly in Akkar, where a lack of public funding and Civil Defense equipment has prompted volunteer groups to intervene and provide assistance.