For the third day, firefighting teams confront massive wildfires in Massyaf

Hama, SANA- For the third day in a row, the firefighting and civil defense teams have been trying to control massive wildfires which erupted in Biret al-Jird area and Ein al-Baida roundabout in Massyaf countryside in extremely difficult conditions due to the expansion of the fire with the fluctuation in the direction of the winds, the high temperatures and the terrain ruggedness.

Director of Forest Protection Center in Hama Madyan al-Ali said in a statement to SANA reporter on Sunday that the fire is still burning in the northern and northwestern sides of the fire site, as the fire spots are concentrated in the forests above the village of al-Shumaiseh, and the firefighters have been able to control the fire in the eastern and southern directions and to stop the expansion of the fires.

Al-Ali added that the changeable direction of the winds as well as the difficulty of the terrain ruggedness in the area, especially in the areas whose height exceeds one thousand meters, limit the ability of the fire engines to enter these areas.

Colonel, Thaer al-Hassan, Commander of Hama Fire Brigade, said in a statement to SANA’s reporter on Saturday that the operations of extinguishing fires were very difficult and hard because the terrain in area in which the fire extends is very rugged.

Meanwhile Ghaith al-Rashed, Head of the Agricultural Society in the village of Biret al-Jird, estimated the green spaces that were consumed by the fire at more than 2000 dunums.

Manar Salameh / Ruaa al-Jazaeri