Andqet fire in Akkar under control, cooling operations underway

NORTH LEBANON — The large fire that broke out Sunday evening in Akkar, in a valley surrounding Andqet in northern Lebanon, was brought under control a few hours later by Civil Defense and local association volunteers, according to our regional correspondent and the state-run National News Agency (NNA).

Firefighters succeeded in preventing the flames from reaching residential homes.

The fire, which had spread through a dense wooded area where vegetation was dry, came dangerously close to a nearby residential neighborhood, our correspondent reported yesterday.

The origin of the incident has not yet been revealed, but Lebanon is experiencing particularly high temperatures at the beginning of November, exceeding seasonal norms.

The mayor of Andqet, Tani Hanna, expressed his thanks and gratitude to all those who took part in the extinguishing operations, praising "the considerable efforts and energy displayed by the volunteers and residents to protect the town and its natural environment."

He stated that "teams are currently continuing cooling and monitoring operations to ensure the fire does not reignite," stressing "the importance of ongoing cooperation between official authorities and civil organizations to preserve the city’s vegetation cover."

Several fires broke out in Akkar during the summer, particularly due to the high temperatures the country is experiencing. Authorities struggled to contain fires that devastated large swaths of land in early August, especially around Qobeyat, with Lebanese citizens seeing this as further evidence of government negligence.

Reporting by our regional correspondent Michel Hallak.