Country: Syrian Arab Republic Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Please refer to the attached file. HIGHLIGHTSSince 2 July, wildfires have severely impacted northern rural Lattakia, affecting around 60 communities, especially in Qastal Maaf, Ras Al-Basit, Kasab, Rabee’a, Kansaba, and Al-Turkman Mountain.Some 1,900 families have been directly affected and while thousands more remain at risk.Many have been displaced to nearby villages or Lattakia City, primarily seeking refuge with host families.No collective shelters have been established/ assigned to date and official displacement figures remain unverified.Approximately 100 km² of forested and agricultural land has been affected accounting for over 3% of Syria’s total forest cover along with civilian property and infrastructure damage.The communities most affected by the recent wildfires in Lattakia are predominantly refugee returnee areas. However, it was reported that a decrease in return movements was noticeable following the fires.The Kassab border crossing, despite remaining operational, has observed a reduction in refugee returns, indicating the fires' significant impact on people's willingness or ability to go back to these vulnerable regions.The Al-Basit power station was rendered inoperable due to fire-related damage to medium-voltage lines, resulting in power outages and disruptions to the water supplyAt least seven communities in rural Lattakia were evacuated as a precaution.The General Electricity Company cut power to four main water pumping stations as a precaution, disrupting the water supply to 25 villages.Firefighting efforts continue, with support from Turkish helicopters and other government institutions are struggling to control the blazes.Extreme weather conditions, including winds exceeding 60 km/h, difficult terrain, persistent drought, high temperatures, and the presence of unexploded ordnance (UXOs), are significantly hindering containment and safe access. Many main roads are blocked, further slowing down response efforts.SITUATION OVERVIEWSince 2 July 2025, multiple fast-moving wildfires have broken out across the mountainous and densely forested northern countryside of Lattakia Governorate, rapidly escalating into a large-scale emergency.The most severely affected areas include Qastal Ma‘af, Rabi‘ah, Zinzaf, Al-Ramadiyah, Beer Al-Qasab, Al-Basit, Kasab, and surrounding rural communities.Fueled by extreme temperatures, strong seasonal winds, and low humidity, the fires have spread across more than 40 ignition points, consuming large swaths of pine forests, agricultural land, and the outskirts of villages.The wildfires are primarily concentrated along three major forest axes in the Jabal al-Akrad and Jabal Turkman regions. Given their proximity to the Turkish border, the situation has prompted cross-border monitoring and limited aerial firefighting cooperation.Over the course of five consecutive days, the fires have continued to intensify, resulting in a deteriorating humanitarian situation.Thousands of residents have been forced to flee high-risk areas, leading to significant population displacement and growing humanitarian needs, particularly in terms of shelter, water, and essential services.