Deadly wildfires erupted in Algeria on Sunday night, taking the lives of 15 people and injuring 26, according to the Algerian Interior Ministry.
In a statement, the Algerian Ministry confirmed the outbreak of a staggering 97 fires across 16 Algerian provinces last night. The wildfires hit the forests, and farmlands, and even reached some populated villages.
The provinces of Bejaia, Bouira, and Jijel were hit hardest by the wildfires, which were amplified by intense winds in these areas. The spreading flames have resulted in 15 fatalities and 26 injuries, leading to the evacuation of approximately 1500 residents, especially from the municipalities of Fenaia and Zbarbar.
The Civil Protection Department has deployed roughly 7500 personnel and mobilized 350 fire trucks of various sizes, along with air resources, to tackle the wildfires. Their efforts have succeeded in gaining control over most of the fires.
However, firefighting operations continue in six provinces, namely Boumerdès, Bouira, Tizi Ouzou, Bejaia, Jijel, and Skikda. The operation involves 13 mobile columns and 3050 personnel, reinforced this morning with an extra 12 mobile columns and an additional 1200 personnel.
The fight against the fires also involves 12 aerial firefighting resources operating across these six provinces. This includes special firefighting helicopters belonging to the National People’s Army Air Force, including a high-capacity firefighting aircraft.
In the midst of this crisis, the Interior Ministry reassured the residents of the affected provinces, confirming the continued efforts of the Civil Protection services to completely extinguish the fires. They also urged the public to stay cautious, heed safety instructions, and refrain from approaching the fire-affected areas.
