Wildfires continue to ravage forests, olive groves across Akkar

A series of wildfires has been sweeping through forests, olive groves and grasslands across Akkar since Sunday night, L’Orient Today’s correspondent in the North reported Monday.

Despite the continuous efforts of firefighting teams, new blazes keep erupting in different areas as soon as others are brought under control.

After Sunday night’s fires in the forests of Aandqet and Tikrit, and in the olive groves of Shadra, a large blaze that erupted Monday morning in the forested area of Haql al-Sabaa in the outskirts of the town of Qabeit, in the mountainous region of Akkar, is still raging despite the extraordinary efforts of firefighting teams, according to our correspondent.

Thick columns of smoke continue to rise, covering the sky, as the flames consume forest trees and spread rapidly under the influence of the dry northeastern winds.

The fire has approached homes located on the rugged mountaintop, making it difficult for Civil Defense fire trucks to extend water hoses to the most intensely burning areas, our correspondent reported.

Reports have also indicated a new fire that broke out on the eastern mountain overlooking the towns of Meshta Hammoud, Meshta Hassan and Shadra in the Dreib area of Akkar Governorate. Civil Defense teams are working to extinguish the flames.

Several fires erupted across Akkar over the summer amid the soaring temperatures that have gripped the country. Authorities faced difficulties containing the blazes, which destroyed vast areas of land in early August, particularly around Qobeiyat. Many Lebanese viewed the incidents as yet another sign of government neglect.

Reporting contributed by Michel Hallak