After large parts of it burned .. a plan to restore Burj Al- Maksour forest in Tal Kalakh countryside

Homs, (ST) – The Homs Agriculture Directorate developed a plan to restore and reclaim Burj Al-Maksour forest in Tal Kalakh countryside, which was damaged by the widespread fires that broke out last week.

Elias Bitar, Head of the Tal Kalakh Forest Department, said in a statement to SANA reporter today, that a large part of the forest area, which is about 70 dunums, planted with pine and eucalyptus trees, has been affected by the fire.

Bitar indicated that the directorate developed a plan to restore and reclaim the forest in terms of pruning burnt eucalyptus trees, which could grow again and removing damaged trees, especially pine, as they severely damaged, in addition to constructing a new fire trail  at the top of the mountain and rehabilitating the current roads.

Luay Nassar, mayor of Al-Akkari municipality to which the village of Burj Al-Maksour is affiliated to ,explained that the fire in the forest burned 100 olive trees in a field adjacent to the forest, pointing out that the rapid response of the people of the region and the firefighting personnel contributed to reducing the farmers’ losses. He stressed that the main problem during the outbreak of the fire was the eastern winds and drought, which led to the rapid spread of the fire within the forest.

Ali Tarsisi, one of the villagers who participated in the firefighting, stated that he does not own land near the forest, but the sight of the burning forest prompted him to help extinguish the fire.

Abu Rateb, owner of one of the fields near the forest, praised the efforts of the firefighters despite their preoccupation with more than one fire on the same day, highlighting the efforts of the people of the region who contributed to extinguishing the fire. “Despite the heavy loss that affected the forest, we will replant it with the help and passion of the sons of Syria who love their land,” he stressed.

Amal Farhat