(MENAFN) Wildfires are rapidly spreading across northwestern Syria, engulfing approximately 10,000 hectares of forest land, officials confirmed Sunday.

New flames have ignited in Qastal Maaf, a town in Latakia’s rural area, according to a local news agency, which cited Civil Defense Director Abdul Kafi Kayyal.

Kayyal confirmed that firefighting efforts remain active as crews work to suppress the blazes.

“Hundreds of thousands of forest trees across an area estimated at about 10,000 hectares in 28 locations have turned to ashes due to these fires,” Minister of Emergency and Disaster Raed Saleh stated on his X account.

Saleh revealed that more than 100 response teams—comprising personnel from Syria, Türkiye, and Jordan—are engaged on the ground. These teams are supported by 160 firefighting vehicles, 12 heavy machinery units, and helicopters supplied by Jordanian and Turkish forces.

During the ongoing operations, eight civil defense members sustained injuries, the minister added. No civilian casualties have been reported.

Describing the damage, Saleh called the aftermath of the fires “catastrophic.”

“We are working within our capabilities,” he remarked, expressing gratitude to the Turkish government for dispatching 16 firefighting teams and to Jordan for sending crews along with six helicopters.

The minister emphasized cautious optimism: “If the weather conditions remain as they are and the wind speed does not increase, the fires may be controlled today.”

Earlier, Syrian officials announced the creation of a joint field operations room, collaborating with multiple organizations to coordinate logistics and support for firefighting efforts in Latakia.

Recent extreme heat combined with dense forestation and strong regional winds have intensified wildfire outbreaks in Latakia’s countryside.

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