Columns of smoke between Bebnine and Housh, in Akkar, on June 19, 2025. (Photo sent to L'Orient Today by residents)
BEIRUT — Fires broke out Thursday in more than one village in Akkar, in northern Lebanon, according to reports from L'Orient Today's correspondent in the region. A heatwave, which brought temperatures that soared over 32 degrees Celsius in some areas, is thought to be the primary cause of the fires' spark and spread.
One of the Akkar fires started in the village of Qaniyet Akroum in the northeast of the district, near a gas reservoir. Disaster was avoided thanks to the intervention of emergency teams from the Akroum Civil Defense, assisted by young volunteers from the area.
Another fire erupted in wastelands near olive groves, between the villages of Bebnine and Housh. The smoke from this fire enveloped the sky of the entire region. Firefighting vehicles were dispatched to the scene to contain the disaster.
However, before the firefighters could extinguish it, the fire between Bebnine and Housh spread to the nearby olive trees. Fighting the fire has been complicated by the very rugged landscape and the lack of agricultural roads that could allow fire trucks to approach the flames. According to L'Orient Today's correspondent, residents are calling on the army to send a helicopter to help extinguish the fire before nightfall.
Reporting contributed by L'Orient Today's correspondent in the North, Michel Hallak.