Wildfires ravage Syria: 1,600 blazes in Summer 2025

The fires were concentrated in Syria’s coastal regions, particularly in Jabal al-Akrad and Jabal al-Turkman, spreading to Jableh, Masyaf, al-Haffa, Qardaha, western Homs countryside, and the rural areas of Tartous and Hama. Some fires burned for days, such as the Latakia mountain blaze that lasted 12 days, destroying more than 16,000 hectares of forest and 2,200 hectares of farmland, and affecting 45 villages. Around 1,200 families were displaced, according to official estimates.

Local environmental organizations estimate that nationwide damage has reached 20,000 hectares, impacting more than 60 villages and displacing approximately 1.156 million people, both temporarily and permanently. Syria is thought to have lost nearly 20% of its forests. The coastal region alone accounts for 61% of the country’s forest cover, with Syria’s total woodland area estimated at about 513,000 hectares.

To date, relevant ministries in the transitional government have failed to provide accurate figures on the damaged green cover, despite repeated inquiries from our agency. This reflects negligence toward citizens’ property and the natural sector, along with a lack of seriousness in offering reparations.

As wildfires spread across unprecedented swathes of Latakia and Tartous, suspicions of arson gained traction on social media. Many Syrians voiced the belief that the fires were deliberately set, fueled by reports of blazes reigniting just as they neared containment. Witnesses also reported thick black smoke, likely from burning petroleum-based materials—claims reinforced by contradictory statements from officials regarding the fires’ causes.

The situation is further complicated by proximity to Turkey: some fires in Jabal al-Turkman raged less than two kilometers from Hatay province, where large-scale fires were also reported. This geographic closeness has prompted questions about who benefits from the blazes, particularly given that some lasted two weeks without suppression, while others were extinguished within 24 hours following the arrival of Iraqi and Jordanian civil defense teams.

Field testimony from former civil defense experts provided to ANHA agency confirmed the presence of clear fire lines in the burned areas, contradicting the Ministry of Emergencies’ denials and underscoring its failure to act swiftly to contain the flames.

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ANHA