Algerian authorities have intensified their efforts to extinguish new fires that erupted in various forests across central and eastern provinces in recent days.
The General Directorate of Civil Protection announced that the efforts to douse the flames in several forests continue unabated, highlighting their success in controlling fires in both Tizi Ouzou and Bejaia provinces, with no reported human casualties.
Control efforts persist for fires in forests of Ismailia, Beni Khedi, and Zuberia in Medea province.
In both Khenchela and Bouira provinces, the Directorate’s official Facebook page reported ongoing firefighting operations in Marawoon and Chikou forests until 11 pm local time.
Since the beginning of this summer, numerous fires have broken out across the country. The most devastating ones hit the northeast, resulting in the death of 34 individuals, including ten soldiers, last month.
Nour El Din Fedi, the Provincial Director of Civil Protection for Bejaia, informed Algerian Radio that all available resources, including those from the National People’s Army, all security services, and provincial authorities, are being utilized to combat these fires.
The Algerian official added, “We deployed two helicopters from the National People’s Army, a V-200 type plane, and two other aircrafts from the Air Unit of Civil Protection.” He also emphasized that the Civil Protection services have implemented robust security measures around all the villages in the affected areas.
Earlier, Algerian authorities announced their intention to rely on satellites, starting next year, to combat the annual forest fires that coincide with rising heatwaves.
Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Mohamed Abdelhafid Heni, disclosed ongoing coordination between the ministry and the Algerian Space Agency to strengthen cooperation in fire control, leveraging satellite imagery to detect and monitor forest fires.
