By Libya Herald reporters.
Tripoli, 30 June 2017:
There was anger among the Wershefana community at the slow response of the fire brigade to the blaze west of Tripoli which destroyed large areas of local woodland. According to some reports the woodland was still burning tonight.
The fire is thought to have been caused by high temperatures. Once the flames took hold they were fanned by strong onshore winds.
Tripoli’s National Safety Authority (NSA) in overall charge of the fire brigade response claimed tonight that 65 percent of the blaze near the Wirshefana’s Camp 27 had been extinguished. Yet locals told the Libya Herald that the fire was still burning and threatened local farms and houses.
The NSA said that three units had been sent from Tripoli, including from Suq Al-Juma and Tajoura to combat the blaze. Meanwhile, other fire crews have today been tackling separate incidents including undergrowth fires in Gargaresh and near the interior ministry on the Airport Road as well as a blaze in an abandoned house in the city centre’s Mizran Street.
The NSA has warned that pieces of broken glass can refract strong sunlight, focusing it intensely on tinder-dry material until it bursts into flame.
