Lebanon Struggles to Battle Massive Wildfires

Director-general of Civil Defense Raymond Khattar described the wildfires raging in Chouf, Aley and Metn as the worst fires to hit Lebanon in decades.

Khattar said that 103 fires erupted across the Lebanese territory in the last 24 hours.

Fires that began early Monday morning in the Chouf’s Meshref area grew Monday night and Tuesday morning as high winds and dry conditions carried embers across large distances, Lebanese media reported.

Among the most heavily affected areas are Meshref and Debbieh in Chouf, with homes were gutted by the huge wildfires the Lebanese civil defense said on Tuesday.

A special needs center run by non-profit organization Arcenciel IN Chouf’s Damour was also affected by the blaze.

The Lebanese Red Cross also reported that at least four people were transferred to hospitals after suffering from suffocation due to the fires.

More than 100 firefighters from 20 civil defense stations were working with the Lebanese army to battle the massive fire, civil defense said.

Dramatic videos show residents fleeing their homes in some areas of Chouf as the night sky glows orange. Other videos show at least a dozen fires burning across a large swath of mountainside, according to the Daily Star.