Syria appeals to European Union for help extinguishing coastal fires

The Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management in the Syrian transitional government, Raed al-Saleh, asked the European Union today for assistance in extinguishing the forest fires raging for a sixth day in the west of the country. The fires have destroyed approximately 100 square kilometers of forest, according to preliminary UN estimates.

Saleh said, "We have asked the European Union for assistance in extinguishing the fires" in the Latakia countryside, and explained that firefighting aircraft from Cyprus are scheduled to intervene on Tuesday to help extinguish the blazes.

Massive fires are sweeping through forests and wooded areas in Turkey and Syria, coinciding with a heat wave that has hit the region since early July 2025. They have caused significant material and human losses, amid warnings of a worsening disaster and difficulties in extinguishing operations in Syria due to the presence of mines left over from war, rugged terrain, and limited capabilities and resources.

The forest fires in Latakia have affected "approximately 5,000 people, including displaced persons, in more than 60 population centers," according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Syria.

The fires have turned "approximately 100 square kilometers of forests and agricultural land to ash, equivalent to more than three percent of the total forest cover in Syria," according to the same source.

The United Nations reported the evacuation of at least seven towns in the Latakia countryside as a precautionary measure.

The series of fires that broke out in the northern Latakia countryside extended to populated areas, forcing authorities to evacuate some towns and villages adjacent to the burning areas. No human casualties were reported.

With the rise in drought and forest fires worldwide due to human-induced climate change, Syria has been subjected in recent years to extreme heat waves, a sharp decline in rainfall, and recurring forest fires.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reported in June that Syria "has not witnessed such severe weather conditions in sixty years," warning that the unprecedented drought threatens more than 16 million people with food insecurity.

ANHA