As wildfires rage across Latakia, Syria’s scorched landscape reveals a dangerous mix of climate crisis, war residue, and limited state capacity.
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| Wildfires Rip Through Syria’s Latakia |
The Syrian Civil Defense, known as the White Helmets, has mobilized over 60 teams to battle the flames, with one volunteer treated for smoke inhalation and a service vehicle destroyed. Evacuations were ordered in residential areas near Qastal Maaf as thick smoke spread to Hama, southern Idlib, and coastal mountains, prompting road closures. Turkey, grappling with its own wildfires, dispatched two helicopters, eight fire trucks, and three support vehicles on July 5, following delays, in a rare act of regional cooperation near the Yayladag Border Crossing.
Terrifying scenes of wildfires spreading through rural #Latakia for the fourth consecutive day, Sunday, July 6. Firefighting operations are ongoing, with teams from the Republic of #Turkey joining efforts to support #Syrian Civil Defense units in containing the blazes. pic.twitter.com/D0eBvuy2J7
— Qusay Noor (@QUSAY_NOOR_) July 6, 2025
The fires, among the worst in recent years, are exacerbated by Syria’s dire environmental and post-war conditions. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization reports the country is enduring its most severe climate crisis in six decades, with low humidity and rugged terrain complicating containment efforts. The legacy of Syria’s 13-year civil war further hinders operations, as mines and unexploded ordnance have detonated amid the heat, endangering firefighters. Outdated equipment and poor telecom coverage in remote areas have added to the challenges.
By July 6, Syria’s Emergency and Disaster Management Minister, Raed al-Saleh, announced the formation of a joint operations room to coordinate containment, with over 90% of fires in areas like al-Rihaniyah extinguished by June 29. However, new outbreaks continue to strain resources. Unverified claims on social media, including a statement from the Islamist group Saraya Ansar al-Sunnah alleging arson, have raised speculation about deliberate causes, though no evidence confirms these assertions.
Saraya Ansar al-Sunna has claimed responsibility for setting fire to the Qastal forests in the Latakia countryside, saying the attack targeted Alawite homes in the area. The fires, the result of a deliberate act of terrorism, are spreading rapidly and remain out of control. pic.twitter.com/HyhWGbSVXr
— Hussam Hammoud | حسام (@HussamHamoud) July 6, 2025
Latakia’s fires follow a grim pattern. In 2020, wildfires killed three, injured dozens, and displaced 25,000 across Syria, destroying 9,000 hectares. In 2023, 5,000 dunums burned in Latakia, while October 2024 saw massive fires in Kassab near the Turkish border. The recurring blazes underscore the region’s vulnerability to climate-driven disasters, worsened by war’s aftermath.
No fatalities have been reported in the current fires, but the destruction of orchards and crops threatens the economic survival of local farmers. As Syria navigates its post-Assad transition, the capacity to address such crises remains limited, leaving residents and responders to confront an escalating environmental and humanitarian toll.
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