A fire in Akkar, on June 7, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Michel Hallak)
BEIRUT — One of two wildfires brought under control overnight in Akkar reignited Saturday afternoon, our correspondent in north Lebanon reported.
The Lebanese Army is battling the blaze in the forests of Jourat al-Nabaa and al-Zawarib with a helicopter that took off from the Klayaat air base in Akkar. Firefighters are preparing an artificial pond in a location close to the fire to supply the helicopter with water.
Khaled Talib, one of the founders of the Akkar trail association, said the situation is “difficult and impossible to control except by using a military helicopter” to existinguish the fire.
For his part, Environment Minister Nasser Yassin is following up on the issue in coordination with all concerned parties, according to our correspondent.
The ongoing fire is one of two that broke out Friday evening at separate locations in Akkar, northern Lebanon. The other was on Tallet al-Manshara and was brought under control overnight.
These two blazes followed a large fire that started earlier Friday in the Aydamoun area of Akkar, forcing the evacuation of nearby homes. Over 250,000 square meters of vegetation and olive groves were burned before firefighters were able to bring the fire under control by the evening.
The Meteorological Authority in Lebanon said the country on Friday was experiencing "temperatures higher than their seasonal averages," "accompanied by a high percentage of humidity over the coastal areas." This weather pattern will continue until Sunday, when temperatures are expected to drop. Experts had previously warned that the risk of wildfires in Lebanon this summer would be "higher" compared to previous years as global temperatures soar.
On Saturday, Akkar's fire forecast updated by the National Early Warning System platform of Lebanon's National Council for Scientific Research (NCSR) indicated "high" chances of fire, especially in the areas closer to the coastline.
A fire in Akkar, on June 7, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Michel Hallak)
Battling the fires overnight, the Civil Defense and volunteers from the Akkar Trail association, as well as a municipal bulldozer, worked in remote and rugged areas to bring the blazes under control, with hoses extended 400 meters to reach the remote forested areas, our correspondent said. The causes of the simultaneous fires are still unknown and under investigation, according to our correspondent.
The forecast from the Fire Observatory at the University of Balamand on Saturday indicated a high wildfire risk in some regions of Lebanon, including Akkar, Minyeh-Dinnieh, Batroun, Baabda, Metn, Chouf, Jezzine, Bint Jbeil, Nabatieh and Sour.
Wildfires are a recurring issue in Lebanon, especially during the hot, dry summer months. The causes of these latest fires are unclear, but the combination of drought and high temperatures creates ideal conditions for such blazes to spread rapidly. The rugged terrain of the Akkar region also makes it challenging for firefighters to access and extinguish the flames in some areas. Ongoing environmental and climatic pressures contribute to the increasing frequency and severity of these damaging wildfires in Lebanon.
Recently, George Mitri, advisor to the environment minister and director of the Land and Natural Resources Program at the Environment Institute at the University of Balamand, told L'Orient Today that the risk of wildfires in Lebanon is "higher" this year compared to previous years, making this fire season "more difficult."
Globally, temperatures are on the rise. April 2024 was Earth's warmest April on record, with global temperatures averaging 1.32 degrees Celsius above the 20th-century norm, marking the 11th consecutive month of record-high global temperatures, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Michel Hallak contributed to this report.