Fires in Zerkan, Tell Tamer countryside consume 75,000 dunams across 23 villages

The countryside of Zerkan and Tell Tamr witnessed widespread fires from Thursday morning till the early hours of the following day. The blazes, which local residents said were ignited from Turkish military bases, swept across vast areas of farmland and several residential communities, causing extensive damage to crops, private property and agricultural infrastructure.

The fires spread along the corridor linking Zerkan and Tell Tamer, affecting around 23 villages. Strong winds and high temperatures accelerated the flames, turning them into a continuous fire front that moved rapidly across agricultural fields and villages within hours.

According to a preliminary assessment, approximately 75,000 dunams of agricultural land were affected, including about 30,000 dunams of wheat and 20,000 dunams of barley, as well as fields that had already been harvested during the current season. The fires also caused extensive damage to agricultural soil, irrigation networks and production requirements.

According to testimonies from local residents, the fires broke out at several locations after being ignited from Turkish military bases before being driven by strong winds across vast stretches of farmland and populated villages, developing into one of the largest wildfire outbreaks to hit the countryside of Tell Tamer and Zerkan.

The losses were not confined to the agricultural sector but also spread to residential areas, where several villages sustained extensive damage. Among the hardest hit was the village of Al-Abboush, which was reached by the advancing flames, resulting in the destruction of dozens of homes and damage to civilians' property, as residents made relentless efforts to save their belongings and livestock.

Farmers also suffered additional losses after a number of Scania agricultural well engines, an essential component of irrigation operations across the region, were destroyed by the fires.

According to preliminary estimates, 7 engines were burned in the village of Al-Musallatah, 5 in Sheikh Ali, 6 in Qubur Al-Qarajneh, and 4 in Al-Abboush.

As the wildfires continued to spread, firefighting and emergency teams declared a state of maximum alert. Fire suppression and monitoring operations continued for more than 22 consecutive hours, involving 10 fire engines and water tankers from the Water Directorate, as well as municipal personnel, and dozens of local volunteers.

Firefighting teams, supported by local residents, mounted intensive efforts to contain the flames and prevent them from spreading to additional villages and critical infrastructure, despite challenging field conditions and wildfires stretching across dozens of kilometers.

By the first light of dawn, emergency crews had succeeded in containing most of the fires and preventing the blazes from advancing into new areas. Cooling and monitoring operations continued as a precaution against flare-ups, while authorities simultaneously began assessing the damage and documenting the full extent of the losses.

The fires are regarded as one of the most severe agricultural disasters to strike the countryside of Tell Tamer and Zerkan in recent years, both in terms of the vast areas affected and the scale of the damage inflicted on crops, private property, and agricultural infrastructure. The disaster has prompted growing calls for urgent assistance to affected communities and for the rehabilitation of the areas devastated by the fires.

ANHA