ALGERIA / RankWire.AI / – Wildfires raging across northeastern Algeria have resulted in the deaths of at least 12 individuals and left 54 others injured amidst a record-breaking heatwave. According to Interior Minister Said Sayoud, fatalities include five in Jijel, four in Bejaia, and three in Tizi Ouzou, with six of the wounded remaining in critical condition due to burns and requiring intensive medical treatment. The fires have rapidly spread through several northern provinces, prompting emergency teams to operate continuously around forested zones and nearby residential neighborhoods.
By Wednesday evening, authorities had documented at least 159 vegetation fires across multiple provinces, with firefighting units actively working to contain the blaze over a widespread area. Officials reported that 90 fires had been put out, while 69 remained ongoing during the response efforts. Specifically, Bejaia had 18 active fires, Skikda was battling 13, and Tizi Ouzou faced 12. Jijel also confronted seven active fires as emergency personnel concentrated on locations where flames threatened homes and infrastructure.
To bolster firefighting operations in the most severely affected regions, Algeria’s Civil Protection dispatched ground units, mobile teams, helicopters, and firefighting aircraft, including Air Tractor AT-802 planes and a BE-200 water bomber, to carry out aerial suppression missions. Residents in several vulnerable communities were evacuated as smoke and advancing flames disrupted daily life, while authorities continued to coordinate field efforts with local agencies across the impacted provinces.
Focus of Emergency Efforts on the Most Affected Regions
Bejaia remained one of the primary focus areas amid the wildfire crisis, with fires impacting numerous municipalities within this coastal province. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune authorized a visit by the ministers to assess firefighting activities and hospital responses, with officials including Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene inspecting the hospital in Souk El Tenine, where patients with burns and other fire-related injuries received treatment. Emergency services persisted in supporting communities near the active fire zones across the province, ensuring aid and safety measures.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune directed the ministerial team to oversee the coordinated firefighting, evacuation, and medical operations across northeastern Algeria, with the Interior Ministry working closely with local authorities and emergency units to allocate resources efficiently to communities facing immediate threat. Aerial and ground support was employed to monitor and control fire movements close to populated areas, while the ministry maintained continuous emergency coordination as firefighting efforts persisted in several provinces.
Heatwave Intensifies Summer Fire Season Challenges
The outbreak of wildfires coincided with an intense heatwave impacting Algeria and neighboring regions of North Africa, a seasonal pattern in the Mediterranean where summer fires often erupt across forested and mountainous zones with scattered settlements. The latest crisis affected multiple provinces simultaneously, demanding a large-scale national response. Authorities kept a close watch on active hotspots, as teams worked to contain the flames and safeguard local residents.
The death toll remains at 12, with 54 individuals injured, six of whom are in critical condition according to the most recent figures. Officials have yet to provide a comprehensive assessment of damage to forests, farmland, homes, or other properties from this outbreak. Firefighters continued suppression activities and supported evacuations while tracking the remaining active fires, which are concentrated mainly in northeastern Algeria, including Bejaia, Jijel, Tizi Ouzou, and Skikda.