Across Lebanon, the fires burned through hundreds of hectares of forest over those two days, in what has been described as the country’s worst wildfire event in decades.
Tens of civil defence teams from across Lebanon had managed to contain a number of the blazes by Tuesday night with the help of Lebanese Army helicopters and two firefighting planes provided by Cyprus.
Then, moderate rains put most out and by Wednesday, most had been extinguished or brought under control.
As the smoke began to clear, the Lebanese started dealing with the aftermath. Between 1,300-1,500 hectares (3,212-3,706 acres) of forest were lost over 48 hours, according to the latest assessment by George Mitri, director of the land and natural resources programme at the University of Balamand.
Added to the 1,300 hectares (7,413 acres) already lost this year, it means the country has doubled its yearly average of forest loss.
Environment Minister Fadi Jreissati declared a state of environmental emergency on Tuesday night, calling on people to work together to support reforestation efforts.
Ghana has meanwhile said it was ready to provide Lebanon with saplings.
At the same time, volunteer groups continue to help those displaced and otherwise affected by the fires, with donations of food, water and medicine.
Thank you for the firefighters, thank you for the civil defense, thank you for the red cross, thank you for the ISF, thank you for the Lebanese army…and mostly thank you GOD for the pouring rain at the end of the day.
Lebanon Wildfires 2019 is a series of 194 forest fires according to Lebanese Civil Defense, which broke out on Sunday 13 October at night, and spread over large areas of Lebanon’s forests. It came on large areas of forests and residential areas in both the Chouf, Khroub and other areas to the south of Beirut, while four houses were completely burned. Residents were directed to evacuate their homes for fear of suffocation and threatening their lives. At least one civilian reportedly died in the Chouf area while volunteering to help firefighters extinguish a fire. The intensity of smoke clouds caused by the fires reached a limit covering the entrances of Beirut, Chouf and Saida.
