Wildfires kill 12 in Algeria as severe heatwave sweeps North Africa

Algeria's interior minister announced on Wednesday that 12 people had died and dozens were injured in forest fires in northeastern parts of the country. Initial reports suggested two deaths and unspecified injuries in coastal Bejaia province, located about 300 kilometers from the capital Algiers. As the toll climbed, five people perished in Jijel province, four in Bejaia, and three in Tizi Ouzou province, according to the minister, Said Sayoud.

A total of 54 individuals were receiving treatment for burns at a hospital in Bejaia, including six in critical condition. Interior Minister Sayoud and health minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene visited Bejaia to assess firefighting efforts and the patients' status, the official APS news agency reported. Many residents fled the affected areas of Bejaia and Jijel.

As of the evening of Wednesday, 69 wildfires were being combated by firefighters, the civil protection agency disclosed. Panic-stricken residents were seen taking refuge in a post office amid thick smoke, according to local media. Major national highways connecting regions in eastern Algeria were closed due to the fires near Bejaia, Jijel, and Setif cities.

The gendarmerie reported that strong winds were exacerbating the blazes. Climate change has intensified the impact of forest fires in Algeria, with droughts and extreme heat becoming more frequent, the agency added. The July 2023 fires killed over 30 people and caused extensive damage to forests, farmland, and homes in the Bejaia area.

More than 2,000 fires were recorded nationwide in July 2024, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate their homes, particularly in Annaba. In cases of suspected arson, authorities often make arrests. Four individuals in Constantine province have been placed in pre-trial detention related to the July fires.