At least 15 people have lost their lives, and 26 others have been injured in wildfires sweeping through various parts of Algeria. The devastating fires have been exacerbated by a heatwave that is affecting the entire region. The Algerian state media and the APS news agency reported on Monday that 1,500 people have been evacuated from the northern areas of the country due to the wildfires.
In a separate statement, the defence ministry mentioned that at least 10 soldiers were killed in the Beni Ksila region, but it remains unclear if they are included in the death toll reported by the interior ministry. The President of Algeria, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, including both civilians and security personnel.
Authorities are working tirelessly to control the flames, with around 7,500 firefighters and 350 trucks being deployed alongside aerial support to battle the fires across Algeria. The affected regions include Boumerdes, Tizi Ouzou, Jijel, and Skikda. The country has experienced an alarming 97 blazes in 16 provinces, with temperatures soaring up to 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit).
Forest and field fires are a recurring issue during the summer in Algeria, but this year, the situation has been worsened by the extreme heatwave affecting Mediterranean countries. Neighbouring Tunisia has also experienced near-record temperatures of nearly 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) on Monday.
Scientists have classified the Mediterranean region as a climate change “hot spot,” with the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warning of more heatwaves, crop failures, droughts, rising seas, and the spread of invasive species.
