Wildfires

Wildfires - Lebanon, Syria

Firefighters in Lebanon have been battling wildfires that erupted amid unusually high temperatures and strong winds. Thick smoke was seen on Tuesday drifting over the outskirts of Beirut, over the mountainous Chouf region to its southeast and the southern city of Saida.

Wildfires spread through parts of Lebanon on Tuesday after forcing some residents to flee their homes in the middle of the night, while others were stuck inside as the flames reached villages south of Beirut, authorities said. 18 Lebanese people were admitted to hospitals for treatment.

A heat wave in the region coupled with strong winds intensified the fires that began a day earlier in mostly pine forests around the country and three provinces in neighboring Syria. There were no reports of fatalities from the fires — among the worst to hit Lebanon in years.