The Syrian Climate Change Programme (SPCC) has called for the declaration of a state of environmental emergency in light of the massive wildfires sweeping the forests of Lattakia’s countryside—fires which, it warns, threaten Syria’s environmental future.
In a statement issued yesterday (Saturday), the SPCC expressed deep concern over the escalating environmental and humanitarian crises seen in recent days, citing an unprecedented wave of fires that have consumed vast areas of Lattakia governorate and beyond.
According to field and technical data, more than 3,000 fires have erupted in recent months, burning over 5,700 hectares of natural forest and agricultural land.
The SPCC noted that this disaster stems from a rapidly changing climate, with rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and strong winds—placing Syria’s environment in a state of unprecedented fragility.
While the statement praised the tireless efforts of the Civil Defence teams, Ministry of Disasters and Emergencies, and volunteers, who have worked long hours under challenging field conditions to contain the fires and protect life and property, it also extended its gratitude to Turkey, which provided support through firefighting aircraft and field equipment.
Community Involvement and Emergency Measures
To address this escalating environmental threat, the SPCC recommends:
- Enhancing national disaster preparedness — upgrading equipment, training personnel, and drafting a dedicated national strategy for forest fire response.
- Improving early-warning systems — deploying advanced surveillance technologies and setting up local environmental monitoring units to analyse seasonal risks.
- Engaging local communities — through awareness campaigns and the formation of volunteer environmental response teams in vulnerable towns.
- Declaring a state of environmental emergency in affected regions and allocating emergency resources to address the crisis.
- Rehabilitating the affected areas — including financial support for families and farmers impacted by the fires.
- Introducing urgent environmental legislation — to protect forests and hold accountable those responsible for deliberate arson or environmental negligence.
The SPCC concluded by issuing a stark warning: this calamity is not temporary but a serious alarm of the accelerating global climate crisis. It called on institutions and individuals to assume environmental and societal responsibility, uniting against an indiscriminate threat affecting every region.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
