North Africa: Heatwave Hits North Africa, With Power Cuts in Tunisia and Wildfires in Algeria

What the report says

AllAfrica, carrying a Radio France Internationale report dated July 24, 2026, reported that an intense heatwave across parts of North Africa has strained public services in Tunisia and coincided with damaging wildfires in Algeria. In Tunisia, temperatures have reportedly climbed as high as 49C, while long electricity outages have affected communities across the country.

According to the report, Tunisia’s state electricity and gas company, STEG, has been publishing daily heat alerts that identify areas where power would be cut to ease pressure on the national grid. STEG chief executive Faycel Trifa said widespread use of air conditioners had pushed the network to its limits. Another official told state television that demand may have reached 6 gigawatts on Tuesday, after 5.6 gigawatts only days earlier. RFI also cited residents describing repeated outages, food spoilage concerns and fears of being stuck in lifts. The Young Doctors’ Association has recorded nearly 150 deaths linked to the heatwave.

President Kais Saied said accountability was needed over the failures and ordered urgent steps on water and power disruptions. Business group CONECT warned that unclear outage schedules were complicating production planning. The report also cited economist Héla Tlili, who argued that Tunisia should accelerate renewable energy development, while noting that storage would require major public investment.

In Algeria, the report said fires broke out Tuesday around Seraidi, west of Annaba, and reached nearly 150 homes in a northeastern town. Interior Minister Said Sayoud said more than 100 people were hospitalized, most in stable condition, while civil protection teams continued firefighting. The ministry reported at least six deaths in several provinces, and an Algiers court said four people were detained pre-trial over alleged forest-area fires near Constantine.