UN MISSION IN LEBANON HELPS IN FIGHT TO PUT OUT FOREST FIRES

UN MISSION IN LEBANON HELPS IN FIGHT TO PUT OUT FOREST FIRES New York, Jul 23 2008 3:00PM The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is helping the country's authorities fight forest fires that have broken out southeast of the capital this week.

A mission helicopter was dispatched immediately after UNIFIL received a request late yesterday from the Lebanese Government to assist in the firefighting efforts, about 25 kilometres from Beirut.

UNIFIL officers worked with Lebanese firefighters until late in the evening to try to extinguish the blaze, which broke out on Monday night. The firefighting effort resumed this morning with the use of a second mission helicopter.

Forest fires are a recurring problem in Lebanon, and devastated large tracts of woodland last year.
2008-07-23 00:00:00.000

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