Fire in Chouf district in Aug. 2026. (Credit: NNA)
BEIRUT — An ongoing massive fire that broke out on Sunday night in the outskirts of the village of Botmeh in the Chouf district, was still ongoing Monday, spreading across large forested areas, and approaching residential areas and inhabited homes, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
The fire damaged pine trees and olive groves, NNA reported. Winds fueled its expansion, starting from the valley and moving uphill toward the borders with the towns of Maasser and Barouk.
Firefighting aircraft, along with civil defense teams and residents, intervened in an attempt to extinguish the blaze, but the fire reignited on Monday afternoon. Efforts are now underway to contain the flames to prevent them from reaching other dense forests.
Fire in Akkar
A fire has also suddenly broke out in grassy lands in the upper outskirts of the village of Meshmesh in the Akkar governorate, quickly spreading to harvested wheat fields whose owners had been waiting for them to dry before collecting them, according to our correspondent.
Farmers in the area, the civil defense, and the First Responder team from the Union of Jurd al-Qaytaa later extinguished the fire.
Wildfires have increased recently amid high temperatures caused by a heat wave expected to last until mid-August. The Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute (LARI) at the agriculture ministry had published a series of guidelines to help prevent heat-related illnesses and wildfires around 10 days ago.
Reporting contributed by our correspondent in the north, Michel Hallak.
