Highlights: At least 34 people, including ten soldiers, died in violent fires in northeastern Algeria on the night of Sunday to Monday. In neighboring Tunisia, in the northwestern border area of Tabarka, serious fires resumed Monday near a region already ravaged by flames the previous week. Algeria is facing an intense heat wave in some affected regions, which contribute to drying vegetation, making it more vulnerable to fire outbreaks. Every summer, northern and eastern Algeria are hit by forest fires, maquis and crop fires, a phenomenon that increases year after year under the effect of climate change.

At least 34 people, including ten soldiers, died in violent fires in northeastern Algeria on the night of Sunday to Monday and still ongoing, according to a report published by...

Algeria: at least 34 dead, including 10 soldiers, in violent fires

At least 34 people, including ten soldiers, died in violent fires in northeastern Algeria on the night of Sunday to Monday and still ongoing, according to a report published by the Ministry of the Interior Monday night.

A fire in Melloula in northwestern Tunisia, near the border with Algeria, July 24, 2023. © FETHI BELAID / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

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Soldiers were surrounded by flames as they were evacuated from Beni Ksila, in the prefecture of Béjaïa (east), accompanied by residents of neighboring hamlets, said for its part the Ministry of Defense. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune sent his condolences to the families, referring to "civilian victims" but also "military".

In neighboring Tunisia, in the northwestern border area of Tabarka, serious fires resumed Monday near a region already ravaged by flames the previous week. An AFP team was able to observe extensive damage at Nefza, 150 km west of Tunis, where helicopters and Canadair water bombers intervened.

About 300 residents of the village of Melloula were evacuated by sea " as a precautionary measure in the face of strong gusts of wind fanning the fires, according to Houcem Eddine Jebabli, spokesman for the Tunisian National Guard, who also mentioned many departures by land. "They were transferred to reception centres in Tabarka or hosted by relatives," Civil Protection spokesman Moez Triaa told AFP.

Between Sunday and Monday, Algeria recorded 97 fires in 16 prefectures but the most violent fires affected Béjaïa, Bouira and Jijel, the interior ministry said in a statement. Pushed by very strong winds, they reached residential areas in these three prefectures where 1,500 people threatened by the flames were evacuated, according to the ministry. Algeria is facing an intense heat wave in some affected regions, with temperature peaks of 48 degrees on Monday, which contribute to drying vegetation, making it more vulnerable to fire outbreaks. In Tunisia, temperatures reached 49 degrees.

⭕️ Béjaia / Toudja: families are currently fleeing to the beach to safety. https://t.co/6pzCtOIcSm pic.twitter.com/bnmMB7eOj6

— TAMAZGHA / ⵜⴰⵎⴰⵣⵖⴰ (@Tamazgha_) July 24, 2023

Some 8,000 civil protection officers and 525 trucks were still at work Monday night in 11 wilayas, where fires that ravaged forests, maquis and fields were still in progress, according to the authorities. Recently chartered firefighting planes and helicopters as well as a Be-200 high-capacity bomber intervened to drop water on the fires. The Interior Ministry called on citizens to "avoid the affected areas and use the toll-free numbers available to make any report" of fire.

Summers 2021 and 2022 already deadly

Every summer, northern and eastern Algeria are hit by forest fires, maquis and crop fires, a phenomenon that increases year after year under the effect of climate change, leading to droughts and heat waves. In August 2022, huge fires killed 37 people in the northeastern region of El Tarf. The summer of 2021 was the deadliest in decades: more than 90 people died in fires that devastated the north, particularly Kabylia.

The authorities had sounded the mobilization as summer approached. In late April, President Tebboune ordered the acquisition of six medium-sized water bombers. Pending their arrival, the Interior Ministry announced in May the imminent purchase of a water bomber and the lease of six others in South America. The authorities have also set up helicopter landing areas in 10 wilayas (prefectures) and mobilized locally manufactured drones for surveillance and fire prevention. Algeria had placed an order with Russia for four water bombers, but their delivery was delayed by the "repercussions of the crisis in Ukraine" after Russia's invasion of that country.

See alsoGreece continues the fight against the flames, thousands of tourists evacuated to Rhodes and Corfu

Algeria: at least 34 dead, including 10 soldiers, in violent fires

Algeria: at least 34 dead, including 10 soldiers, in violent fires

Summers 2021 and 2022 already deadly

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