ALGERIA / RankWire.AI / – Wildfires sweeping through northeastern Algeria have resulted in at least 12 fatalities and left 54 people injured, officials announced Wednesday evening. The fatalities include five in Jijel, four in Bejaia, and three in Tizi Ouzou, according to Interior Minister Said Sayoud. Among the wounded, six individuals remained in critical condition, battling burns as they received intensive medical care. The blazes ignited across multiple provinces amid a fierce heatwave impacting Algeria and other regions of North Africa.
Responders confronted dozens of active fires as authorities evacuated families from perilous zones near forests and residential areas. By 8 p.m. local time Wednesday, officials reported at least 159 fires related to vegetation across various provinces. Of these, 90 fires had been extinguished, while 69 persisted at that time. Bejaia experienced 18 active fires, with Skikda registering 13, Tizi Ouzou 12, and Jijel seven.
Algeria’s Civil Protection mobilized ground units, mobile teams, helicopters, and firefighting aircraft to aid the containment efforts in the most severely affected regions. Response operations involved Air Tractor AT-802 planes and a BE-200 water bomber. Authorities also activated emergency protocols in several communities as smoke hindered visibility and flames approached residential zones. Evacuations took place in multiple localities as firefighting teams focused on safeguarding residents, infrastructure, and transportation routes.
Expansion of Firefighting Activities in Northeastern Regions
Bejaia remains a central hub in the firefighting effort, with multiple municipalities in the mountainous coastal province affected by the fires. Sayoud traveled to the area alongside Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene to assess firefighting operations and hospital care. The delegation visited Souk El Tenine hospital, where teams provided treatment to burn victims and those suffering from smoke inhalation. They also reviewed patient conditions as emergency services continued operations across nearby communities.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune ordered the ministerial visit to Bejaia, emphasizing government coordination in firefighting and medical aid. The Interior Ministry confirmed that emergency personnel are working with local authorities and agencies to contain the fires. Resources are concentrated in areas where flames threaten residents or where strong winds hinder suppression efforts. On Wednesday, aerial and ground units remained actively engaged across several affected provinces.
Heatwave Fuels Extensive Wildfire Crisis
The surge in wildfires coincides with a severe heatwave across Algeria and neighboring North African regions. Summer wildfires routinely impact the country’s Mediterranean forested zones. Many affected communities are situated in mountainous and wooded areas in northern Algeria. Civil Protection has repeatedly deployed national and local units to combat high fire activity this summer.
This latest outbreak has contributed to a challenging summer fire season that has damaged forests, farmland, and homes in parts of Algeria. Authorities have yet to provide an official estimate of land or property damages caused by the current fires. Firefighting teams continue efforts to suppress flames and evacuate residents as officials monitor hotspots across northeastern provinces. The confirmed toll remains 12 dead and 54 injured as of early Thursday’s reports.