Forest fire rages through Jebel Nafusa nature reserve

Tripoli, 26 May 2013:

A forest fire, which raged through a nature reserve near Emsalata in the eastern end of the Jebel Nafusa and threatened a nearby village, was this afternoon thought to be extinguished, after fire crews had struggled over narrow, winding roads to tackle the blaze.

The flames did not reach a village close to the nature reserve, which at one point had appeared in danger. The fire is believed to have started on Saturday afternoon and by nightfall had formed a wide front, as it advanced slowly through the trees and scrub. Besides forest, at least ten hectares of farmland was destroyed.

Fire crews from in an around Emsalata fought the flames all night. They had difficulty reaching conflagration, in part because people from the town had driven out to watch the spectacle and some of their vehicles blocked the roads and tracks. The Libyan news agency LANA reported that Emsalata Local Council had warned people to stay away from the scene.

The cause of the blaze is not yet known. [/restrict]