Beirut - Lebanese firefighters along with the help of UN troops positioned in southern Lebanon brought a large forest fire under control on Wednesday, a civil defence official said. Flames swept near the summer resort town of Aley, east of Beirut, after breaking out overnight in the Bmikin mountainous region between Souk el-Gharb and Aley.
"We managed to put out the fire after we got the help of the Lebanese army, the United Nations Interim Forces in Southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) and Cypriot planes, " the official said.
Several mine explosions were heard as the fire was raging in the area, which witnessed heavy fighting during the Lebanese 1975-1990 civil war.
According to the official, around 48 acres have been burned down, mostly consisting of pine and oak trees.
Forest fires at this time of the year normally devastate hundreds of acres of woodland in Lebanon.
