Wildfires Sweep Northern Algeria, Claiming Lives

At least 12 people have been killed and dozens injured as wildfires burn through large swathes of northern Algeria, with civil protection authorities reporting dozens of blazes sweeping through several provinces along the country’s northern coastline.

The deaths come as northern Africa swelters under a severe heatwave, with Tunisia and Algeria particularly affected, and Interior Minister Said Sayoud stating that at least 54 people had suffered burn injuries, with at least six of them being treated in intensive care.

• At least 12 people have been killed in the wildfires, with five deaths reported in Jijel province, four in Bejaia, and three in Tizi Ouzou.
• Dozens of homes in Bejaia and Jijel have been evacuated, according to the civil protection agency and local media.
• Firefighters were battling 69 blazes across the country, with the Bejaia region seeing devastating fires tear through forest and farmland three years ago, killing 30 people.
• Last month, authorities recorded at least six deaths caused by fires, with crews battling more than 2,000 blazes across Algeria in July alone.

Algerian Government Response

Interior Minister Said Sayoud has travelled to Bejaia with the Algerian Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene to assess local firefighting and evacuation efforts, with “