Latakia, July 28 (SANA)Syrian Civil Defenseteams continue their efforts to extinguish a forest fire that broke out in the Kabina area of Mount al-Akrad inLatakiacountryside, working to limit its spread amid complex field conditions hindering access to the fire sites, an official told SANA on Tuesday.

Operations Commander at the Latakia Emergency and Disaster Management Directorate, Hassan Mohammed, said that firefighting teams are working at full capacity despite field challenges, most notably the presence of landmines andwar remnants, and the difficulty of accessing fire hotspots with machinery and firefighting teams.

Strong winds are further complicating suppression efforts and threatening to spread the flames to new areas, requiring intensified efforts to control the fires and protect safe zones, he added.

The fire broke out on Tuesday morning following an explosion in one of the engineering teams’ vehicles during demining and war remnants disposal operations in the area, leading to the ignition of the forested area. Firefighting response teams continue their operations at the site to deal with fire hotspots and secure the area.

Wildfiresremain a recurring threat in Syria’s coastal regions, with Latakia’s mountainous terrain and forested areas particularly vulnerable during summer months.

In July 2025, a series of wildfires across western Syria burned approximately 18,000 hectares of agricultural and forest land, affected over 125 villages, and forced the evacuation of more than 2,000 families.

Firefighting efforts have consistently been complicated by the presence oflandminesand unexploded ordnance, which slow containment and endanger responders.