Algeria extinguishes 141 wildfires in 24 hours amid heatwave

Algerian Civil Protection announced on Friday that 141 forest fires have been extinguished across the country within the past 24 hours, out of a total of 159 that were declared. The state institution confirmed that 18 operations to extinguish and cool down remaining fires are still active, concentrated in the northern provinces, which have been the hardest hit.

The country has been battling severe wildfires over the past two weeks, exacerbated by exceptional weather conditions. High temperatures, reaching nearly 50 degrees Celsius, combined with strong winds, have created a volatile environment for the blazes. This situation mirrors the challenges faced by other Mediterranean countries, including Tunisia and France, which have also experienced intense wildfires.

Earlier in the week, a significant evacuation occurred in the northeastern province of Annaba. Over a hundred hospital patients were moved during the early morning hours due to a virulent fire that had broken out the previous afternoon. The blaze also forced 200 families from the surrounding area to abandon their homes. Interior Minister Said Sayoud visited the affected regions and assured that all patients were safely evacuated.

Authorities are attributing the severity and rapid spread of these fires to the current climatic conditions. The ongoing efforts focus on containing the remaining active fires and preventing further escalation, particularly in the densely affected northern regions.