Algeria: Algeria Mourns Wildfire Victims As Firefighters Battle Deadly Blazes

What the report says

Algeria is observing a second day of national mourning as firefighters continue battling major wildfires in the country’s north, according to Radio France Internationale, distributed by AllAfrica. The blazes have killed at least 12 people and injured dozens, with authorities saying the fires are affecting several provinces and forcing emergency response efforts to continue through difficult conditions.

The report says President Abdelmadjid Tebboune объявed three days of mourning and canceled cultural and sporting events after the deaths. Interior Minister Said Sayoud said fatalities were recorded in Jijel, Bejaia and Tizi Ouzou provinces, and hospitals were treating 54 people for burns, including six in serious condition. Civil protection authorities said dozens of fires were still active after many more were recorded over the previous day.

Officials said firefighting has been hampered by high temperatures, strong winds and smoke, which also limited aircraft use. Roads linking parts of eastern Algeria were closed because of nearby forest fires. The article notes that wildfires are recurring in northern Algeria during the summer, but that hotter and drier conditions can worsen their impact. It also recalls the deadly fires in 2023, which killed more than 30 people near Bejaia. The latest outbreak comes amid an intense regional heatwave, with neighboring Morocco also experiencing extreme temperatures.