Lebanese Army helicopters deployed to extinguish fire in Qala forest (Akkar district)

NORTH LEBANON —Lebanese Army helicopters were deployed at dawn Friday to battle a wildfire that has been burning for two days in the cedar and fir forests of Qala, in the highlands of Meshmesh, northern Lebanon, local sources told our correspondent.

The fog covering the area on Thursday afternoon hindered the helicopters’ intervention, while the dry winds that blew overnight from Thursday to Friday in the highlands fueled the spread of the flames toward Jurd al-Qaytaa.

In this area, the ground is covered by a thick layer of dry grass, making it easier for the blaze to expand. The fire has already destroyed large swathes covered with centenarian trees, notably cedars and Cilician pines, as well as plants, and natural habitats for birds and wildlife.

The sector had already been hit by flames on Tuesday before the fire was finally brought under control in the afternoon.

Particularly hard to access and lacking roads that would allow fire trucks to reach the blaze, the region made helicopter intervention necessary. The aircraft was refueled with water from an artificial basin set up nearby, supplied by Civil Defense with the support of the Jurd al-Qayta Union of Municipalities and local tankers. Volunteers from neighboring villages and the rapid fire-fighting team of the “Akkar Trail” Association (Darb Akkar) are also helping with operations in the field to bring the fire under control.

Residents of the area are calling for an investigation to determine the causes of the increase of fires in this region, and are demanding sanctions against those responsible.