2019 Lebanon forest fires explained

Lebanon Wildfires 2019
Date:	October 13, 2019 —
Area:	Mount Lebanon regions^[1]
Acres:	5,174^[2]
Cause:	Unknown
Landuse:	Forest, Residential
Fatalities:	1
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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.^{[3] [4]}

Possible Causes

According to preliminary reports, the fires started on Sunday evening, October 13,^[5] Because of high temperatures that reached 38 degrees Celsius and gusts dry winds helped spreading fires in forests and green areas. But many officials said it was too early to know the cause of the fires and that would be investigated.

According to a report by Republic of Lebanon's Ministry of the Environment, the calculated start date of the fire danger season for 2019 was 23 May, and the calculated end date was 15 November 2019.^[6]

Fire Resistance

The Lebanese Civil Defense confronted the fires for two days, but the lack of equipment and the large-scale expansion of fires led to its inability to resist fires. Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri confirmed his contact with a number of countries to send assistance via helicopters and firefighting planes,^[7] In response to these calls, Cyprus rushed to send two planes that participated with Lebanese army helicopters in the suppression operations.^[8] Jordan, Turkey and Greece also participated in firefighting. According to press reports on Tuesday (October 15), fire has decreased in different places due to rains

Fire Fighting Participants

• • • The Lebanese civil defense elements and the army planes do great efforts to deal with the fires, but the lack of resources hindered their work.^[9]
  • Displaced Palestinians and Syrians participated in extinguishing fires, and the Palestinian Civil Defense in the camps used its crews and equipment in fire fighting.
    • Cyprus sent two planes to help put out fires.
    • Two planes arrived from Jordan to participate in extinguishing fires.^{[10] [11]}
    • Turkey sent planes to help put out fires.
    • Greece sent planes to put out fires.

International Response

• • • The Lebanese did not appeal to Israel for help.
    • Ghana informed the Ambassador of Lebanon of its readiness to send tree seedlings to reforest all forests and burned forests.^[12]

Notes and References

1. News: Brennan . Sam . Why Lebanon's wildfires risk is becoming more common . October 21, 2019 . Al Monitor . October 20, 2019.
2. News: Haddad . Joumana . Lebanon Is on Fire . October 21, 2019 . The New York Times . October 19, 2019.
3. https://www.elnashra.com/news/show/1355565/وفاة-سليم-ابو-مجاهد-اثناء-مساهمته-اخماد-الحرائق-ال The death of Salim Abu Mujahid during his contribution to extinguish the fires in the Chouf
4. https://www.bbc.com/arabic/amp/middleeast-50056495 Lebanon witnesses dozens of huge fires and requests outside help
5. https://www.alarabiya.net/ar/social-media/2019/10/15/لبنان-يحترق-يشعل-مواقع-التواصل-فيديوهات-تدمي-القلب Lebanon burns and ignites the sites of communication
6. Chalouhi . Robert . February 2005 . Lebanon's Second Republic: Prospects for the Twenty-first CenturyLebanon's Second Republic: Prospects for the Twenty-first Century Edited by Kail C. Ellis.(Gainesville, FL: University Press of Florida, 2002. Pp.236. $59.95.) . The Journal of Politics . 67 . 1 . 308–311 . 10.1111/j.1468-2508.2005.00318_15.x . 154019387 . 0022-3816.
7. https://www.aljazeera.net/news/politics/2019/10/15/حرائق-غير-مسبوقة-لبنان-كارثة-بيئة Massive fires devour the forest of Lebanon
8. https://www.alhurra.com/amp/516111.html Many fires sweeping towns in Lebanon
9. https://alqabas.com/article/5716920-المواطنون-ابتهلوا-وصلوا-صلاة-الاستسقاء-ي-يا-رب-لا-تهجر-سما-لبنانحرائق-الشوف-تعري Citizens Prayer: O Allah, do not abandon the sky of Lebanon
10. https://www.elnashra.com/news/show/1355840/وصول-طائرتين-أردنيتين-الى-مطار-بيروت-للمساعدة-إخما Two Jordanian planes arrive at Beirut Airport to help extinguish fires
11. https://www.alhurra.com/a/نيران-لبنان-تصل-سوريا-فيديوهات-مرعبة-والأردن-يتدخل/516188.html Lebanon-Fire arrives Syria, terrifying videos and Jordan intervenes
12. https://www.elnashra.com/news/show/1355973/خير-نقل-سفير-لبنان-بغانا-استعدادها-لإرسال-شتول-وأش Ghana express its readiness to send seedlings and trees to reforest forests and burned forests