Syria declares Latakia wildfires fully extinguished, warns of long-term ecological fallout

Syria announced Tuesday that firefighting operations have ended in the mountainous areas of Latakia province in the country's northwest following days of intense wildfires.

While declaring the fires fully extinguished, Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed al-Saleh warned of consequences that could persist for years.

Speaking at a press conference with Latakia Governor Mohammad Othman, he emphasized that “the flames are gone, but the mission has just begun,” referencing the rehabilitation efforts now underway to restore the scorched forests.

He noted that the ministry would soon install an early warning system for wildfires as part of a comprehensive national forest protection strategy involving greater local community engagement.

Among the major challenges during the firefighting efforts were shifting winds, rugged terrain, and the presence of landmines and war remnants, al-Saleh added. Years of neglect had also left the forests without effective firebreaks.

He warned that the true disaster lies in the aftermath: soil erosion, vegetation loss and heightened landslide risks, especially under worsening drought and climate conditions -- the most severe in decades.

The ministry, he said, had relied on satellite imaging, thermal and conventional drones, and a weather monitoring center to track wind speed and direction. This data enabled strategic and timely firefighting operations.

Al-Saleh also expressed gratitude to teams from Türkiye, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Qatar, as well as local volunteer groups and government ministries, calling their collective effort “a human epic that will remain in the nation's memory.”

Governor Othman said the fires destroyed more than 16,000 hectares (39,536 acres) of forest, including 2,200 hectares (5,436 acres) of farmland, and damaged 45 villages. Around 1,200 families were directly affected.

He said full coordination between firefighting and civil defense teams from across Syria, along with regional assistance, was key to containing the blazes.

Over the 12-day emergency, the province set up a field kitchen providing 2,500 meals daily and deployed firefighting equipment in coordination with the ministries of Interior and Defense.

Ministerial delegations have visited affected areas and are working on a comprehensive recovery and compensation plan, Othman added.

Latakia's densely forested terrain regularly faces wildfires during the summer months due to high temperatures, dry vegetation and persistent winds that hamper containment.