FIrefighters battle the blazes in the forests of Syria’s al-Frunloq natural reserve, in Latakia [Courtesy Syrian Civil Defense]
Published July 12, 2025
Syria’s wildfires are the first major natural disaster since the country overthrew the Bashar al-Assad regime in December.
🔥 Tragedy Amid Fire
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Devastating wildfires have raged through Syria’s Mediterranean coast—especially in Latakia’s highlands—burning over 14,000 hectares since early July 2.
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The landscape has been reduced to a stark moonscape—black mud, choking ash, and skeletal trees—making terrain treacherous for firefighting crews .
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Elderly locals like 80‑year‑old Abu Jameel Muhammed watched their olive trees—symbols of heritage—go up in flames, pushing thousands to evacuate.
⚠️ Hidden Dangers from War
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Firefighters face a unique dual threat: not just fire, but also landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) scattered from over a decade of conflict.
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The UN estimates around 300,000 landmines remain across Syria, with 11.5 million people living in zones affected by explosive remnants of war .
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Between December and June alone, 369 people were killed in ordnance-related accidents, a threat exacerbated by the fires themselves.
🧑🚒 Courage and Cooperation
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Civil Defense volunteers—like Muhammed Baradei and Wesam Zeidan—have traveled from across Syria (e.g., Idlib, Hama) crossing former conflict lines, to battle the flames with unity and resolve
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This marks Syria’s first major unified disaster response since the downfall of the Assad regime in late 2024.
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Firefighting efforts have received international assistance, including helicopters and equipment from Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon.
📉 A Mounting Crisis
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Heatwaves up to 35 °C, strong winds, rugged terrain, and a lack of firebreaks have fueled a relentless cycle of containment and re‑ignition.
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Syria is no stranger to wildfires—the 2020 blazes were the worst on record. This year, drought and climate change have made conditions even more severe.
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Relying heavily on volunteers and thinly-stretched resources—amid lingering post‑war sanctions—Syria’s firefighting infrastructure is being pushed to its limits .
✅ Key Takeaways
| Theme | Insight |
|---|---|
| Fire extent | 14,000+ hectares burned across Latakia since July 2 |
| War remnant risk | 300,000+ landmines, explosive debris could be triggered by heat |
| Casualties | 369 due to ordnance accidents in recent months |
| Human toll | Elderly like Abu Jameel mourn lost lifelines—olive trees, homes, memories |
| Response unity | Volunteers from Idlib, Hama to Latakia—crossing old wartime boundaries |
| Challenges | Extreme heat, strong wind, rugged terrain, lack of firebreaks |
| Intl support | Helicopters from Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon aiding containment |
Resulting Effects:
The wildfires tearing through Syria’s coastal regions have left behind more than just charred forests—they’ve deepened an already critical humanitarian and environmental crisis:
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Environmental Devastation: Over 14,000 hectares of forests and farmland have been destroyed, wiping out biodiversity, natural carbon sinks, and agricultural livelihoods. Centuries-old olive trees—deeply rooted in Syrian heritage—have been reduced to ash.
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Loss of Livelihoods: Thousands of families, particularly in rural areas, have lost crops, livestock, and income sources. For elderly landowners like Abu Jameel, the fires didn’t just destroy property—they erased entire legacies.
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Escalating Casualties: Fires have triggered dormant landmines, resulting in explosions that injured or killed both civilians and volunteer firefighters. From December to June alone, 369 Syrians died due to war-related ordnance—an already staggering toll now heightened by wildfire activity.
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Public Health Crisis: Smoke inhalation, stress, and displacement have overwhelmed local clinics. Residents breathing toxic air are also exposed to potential chemical hazards from exploded munitions.
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Infrastructure Strain: With firefighting units underfunded and poorly equipped, the blazes have exposed the fragility of Syria’s emergency response capabilities, made worse by years of conflict and sanctions.
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Psychological Trauma: The fires reopened war wounds—forcing Syrians to flee yet again, navigate mined paths, and mourn lost homes and forests. For many, the emotional toll is a painful reminder that peace remains fragile.
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National Unity Sparked: Despite devastation, the crisis has fostered rare solidarity—volunteers from once-divided regions are working side by side, crossing political and sectarian lines to defend the land they all call home.
Bottom Line:
The wildfires raging across Syria’s Latakia region are more than a natural disaster—they are a brutal collision of climate, conflict, and resilience. As flames scorch the earth, they also expose the lingering scars of war: buried explosives, fractured infrastructure, and the vulnerability of a people long caught between survival and rebuilding. Yet in the face of danger, Syrians are not retreating. Volunteers from former opposition strongholds to government-held zones are uniting to fight the fires, side by side. Their actions reflect more than desperation—they reflect a profound connection to the land and to each other. Amid smoke and ash, they carry a message far more enduring than fire: We belong to this land—and we will not abandon it.
