The Syrian Minister of Emergency Situations and Disasters, Raed Saleh, called on the European Union on Tuesday to provide assistance in combating the raging wildfires that have been active for six days in the western part of the country, which have burned approximately 100 square kilometers of forest, according to preliminary estimates from the United Nations.
As reported by the Syrian state news agency SAN, Saleh stated, “We have requested help from the European Union to extinguish the fires” in the countryside of Latakia, mentioning that firefighting planes from Cyprus are scheduled to arrive on Tuesday to aid in suppressing the flames.
Coinciding with a heatwave affecting the region since early July 2025, massive wildfires are sweeping across forests and wooded areas in Turkey and Syria, resulting in significant property and human losses, amid warnings of worsening conditions and challenges in firefighting efforts in Syria due to landmines from the war, difficult terrain, and limited resources.
Initial estimates indicate that the wildfires in Latakia have impacted around five thousand individuals, including displaced persons, across more than 60 populated areas, according to statements from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Syria.
The United Nations also noted that the fires have “turned approximately 100 square kilometers of forests and agricultural land to ash, equivalent to over three percent of the total forest cover in Syria.”
It was reported that “at least seven towns in the countryside of Latakia have been evacuated as a precautionary measure.”
The series of fires that erupted in the northern countryside of Latakia spread to populated regions, forcing authorities to evacuate some towns and villages near the blazing areas, with no casualties reported among civilians or firefighting teams.
The state television quoted Minister Saleh mentioning that “strong winds caused the fires to expand last night into the village of al-Ghussaniyeh in the countryside of Latakia,” further informing that civil defense teams successfully evacuated women and children while extinguishing the fire with the help of local youth.
Saleh indicated that Turkish and Jordanian teams are participating in firefighting efforts, alongside Turkish, Jordanian, Lebanese, and Syrian aircraft, with the expected number of involved aircraft reaching twenty.
He explained that “weather conditions significantly contribute to the spread of fires, in addition to the absence of firebreaks on the mountains, neglect of forest maintenance, the presence of many dry woods, and the detonation of war remnants.”
Interior Minister Anas Khattab, during a visit to one of the fire sites in Latakia, expressed “suspicion” and “doubts” regarding the involvement of certain individuals in the fires, adding that concrete evidence and documentation are necessary.
The Minister indicated that a “site survey” will commence to determine whether the fires were deliberately set and to apprehend those responsible.
Amid increased drought and wildfires globally due to climate change driven by human activity, Syria has faced severe heatwaves, a significant decrease in rainfall, and repeated forest fires in recent years.