Huge wildfires have raged through war-torn Syria’s northwestern region for days, threatening civilian homes and forested areas.
The inferno has scorched swathes of the Latakia and Hama countryside this week, after neighbouring countries sent help to combat major fires last month.
Firefighting teams belonging to the Syrian Civil Defence have worked tirelessly to contain the fires despite the difficult field conditions, unexploded ordnance and limited resources.
The flames in the northeast Latakia governorate have spread across rugged mountain areas, including forests of the Broma area in Jabal al-Akrad, which forms the northernmost point of the Syrian Coastal Mountain Range.
Other affected areas include forests and woodland in the villages of Kafrta, Kasab, and Deir Mama.
The Civil Defence said its teams were working on several fronts amid major challenges, most notably fast wind speeds, rugged terrain and the dangers of landmines.
In the western Hama countryside, firefighting efforts, backed by civilian volunteers, are focused on Ain al-Krum, Tahunat al-Halawa, and Abu Kleifon.
Other fires have broken out in the villages of Anab, Faqro, and Al-Tamaza, in addition to forests located along the Beit Yashout Road.
The Syrian Civil Defense media office told The New Arab’s sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, that more than 25 firefighting teams were currently operating in the Hama countryside, in addition to approximately 15 teams in the Latakia countryside.
"The fires are spreading in multiple clusters in various directions, with temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius in some areas. This, combined with extreme dryness in grass and trees, as well as active wind movement are significantly accelerating the spread of the flames," the media office said.
It added that the fires had worsened significantly in recent hours, with the Kasab area facing increased challenges due to the presence of war remnants and a lack of roads which hinders the arrival of fire trucks.
"Firefighting teams are operating in an extremely rugged geographic area, featuring steep slopes, rocky terrain, and deep valleys, which increases the difficulty of extinguishing operations."
The Civil Defence said damage to civilian property is extensive, especially in the villages of Anab and Kleifoun.
Firefighting teams from Homs, Idlib, and Aleppo governorates - aided by locals - have joined the efforts to extinguish the fires.
Last month, wildfires devastated vast tracts of forest and farmland across northwest Syria for at least 10 days, forcing mass evacuations.
Syria’s coastal region, particularly the Latakia and Tartus governorates, contain about 76 percent of the mostly desert country’s forests; the region faces long-term ecological damage as a result of the fires.
The environmental catastrophe comes as Syria reels under more 14 years of conflict and economic crisis.
With man-made climate change increasing the likelihood and intensity of droughts and wildfires worldwide, Syria has also been battered by heatwaves and low rainfall.
In June, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation said that Syria had "not seen such bad climate conditions in 60 years."
Neighbouring countries across the Mediterranean, including Turkey, have also witnessed unprecedented droughts and huge wildfires this year.