At least 12 dead, 54 injured as wildfires sweep through northern Algeria

At least 12 individuals lost their lives and 54 others suffered injuries as a series of powerful wildfires ravaged Algeria’s northern coastline. The crisis prompted a swift mobilization of civil protection teams and emergency responders across multiple regions to combat the flames and evacuate vulnerable residents. Interior Minister Said Sayoud reported fatalities spanning three provinces - Jijel, Bejaia, and Tizi Ouzou.

Five deaths occurred in Jijel, four in Bejaia, and three in Tizi Ouzou. Additionally, 54 people sustained severe burn injuries or smoke inhalation, with six patients requiring critical care. Residents sought refuge in a regional post office as thick smoke enveloped Jijel. Government officials swiftly moved to the disaster zones to coordinate relief efforts and evaluate emergency response systems.

Algerian Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene joined Interior Minister Sayoud to assess local firefighting and evacuation procedures. Nationwide, emergency services responded to an alarming 154 fire outbreaks, leading to the evacuation of numerous families. Firefighters managed to contain several blazes in provinces like Skikda, El Tarf, Bouira, Tizi Ouzou, and Tebessa, although active hotspots persisted in Bejaia and Jijel.

The catastrophe coincides with a severe heatwave affecting North Africa, exacerbating the risk of wildfires. While summer forest fires are common in Algeria, climate change has significantly heightened their frequency and intensity. The World Meteorological Organisation notes that North Africa has the fastest warming rate among African subregions, with temperatures increasing by 0.43 degrees Celsius per decade since 1991.

This combination of rising temperatures, water scarcity, and drought has heightened the environmental vulnerability of the Mediterranean coastline.