"The fire, which broke out at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday in the Sougna forest is currently under control," Assali told MAP, noting that the intervention teams will remain on the scene to fully control the fire.
The burnt area is estimated at about 1,100 hectares, he pointed out.
Some 520 elements from Water and Forests Department, Civil Protection, Auxiliary Forces, Royal Armed Forces and Royal Gendarmerie, as well as local authorities were mobilized to contain the fire, with the support of ground technical means, four "Canadair" planes from the Royal Air Forces and four Turbo trush planes from the Royal Gendarmerie.