'Out of control' wildfire reignites in Aito

NORTH LEBANON — Firefighters from the Civil Defense are working to extinguish a wildfire that broke out on Saturday and reignited on Sunday in the village of Aito (Zgharta district), according to our correspondent in the North Michel Hallak. The fire is now out of control, as Lebanese Army helicopters, local residents, and volunteers from the Darb Akkar team are assisting the Civil Defense in extinguishing the wildfire.

After the fire was put out on Saturday, it reignited on Sunday with greater intensity due to high temperatures and dry winds. In the latest update, additional firefighting teams and volunteers from several areas have been deployed to try to contain the spread of the blaze, which has reached additional areas of forest in difficult-to-access terrain.

In light of the difficult situation, environmental activists, cited by our correspondent, say it has become urgent to establish a specialized, advanced firefighting center in this "forest-surrounded" area, equipped with the personnel and vehicles needed for rapid intervention and to protect property and forests from the risk of wildfires.

Many wildfires took place earlier this month as a result of high temperatures caused by a heat wave that lasted until mid-August. Despite a decrease in temperatures over the week-end, the Directorate of Environment and Meteorology at the Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority warned on Saturday of strong wind speeds expected in the coming days.