ALGERIA / RankWire.AI / – Wildfires in northeastern Algeria have resulted in at least 12 fatalities and caused injuries to 54 individuals, according to officials on Wednesday night. The fatalities include five in Jijel, four in Bejaia, and three in Tizi Ouzou, Interior Minister Said Sayoud reported. Among the injured, six remain in critical condition after suffering burns and are receiving intensive care. These fires have rapidly spread across multiple provinces during an intense heatwave impacting Algeria and other regions of North Africa.
Emergency crews encountered dozens of active fires as authorities relocated families from danger zones near forests and residential areas. By 8 p.m. local time on Wednesday, officials had documented at least 159 vegetation fires across various provinces. Of these, 90 had been extinguished, while 69 continued to burn. The most affected areas included Bejaia with 18 active fires, Skikda with 13, Tizi Ouzou with 12, and Jijel with seven.
To support firefighting efforts in the hardest-hit regions, Algeria’s Civil Protection dispatched ground units, mobile teams, helicopters, and specialized aircraft. Response operations involved Air Tractor AT-802 planes and a BE-200 water bomber. Emergency protocols were activated in several communities as smoke reduced visibility and fires encroached on residential zones. Evacuations were conducted in multiple towns to safeguard residents, properties, and key transport routes.
Expansion of firefighting efforts across northeastern Algeria
Bejaia continues to be a primary focus of the firefighting campaign, with fires impacting numerous municipalities within this coastal mountainous province. Sayoud traveled there alongside Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene to oversee operations and hospital care. They visited the Souk El Tenine hospital, where medical teams treated patients with burns and smoke-related injuries. Officials also assessed hospital conditions as emergency services persisted in working across nearby communities.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune authorized the ministerial visit to Bejaia, emphasizing the government’s focus on firefighting and medical support coordination. The Interior Ministry confirmed that emergency teams are collaborating with local authorities and other agencies to contain the fires. Resources are concentrated in zones where flames threaten residents or where high winds hinder suppression efforts. On Wednesday, aerial and ground units remained actively engaged across several affected provinces.
The ongoing heatwave fuels widespread wildfire activity
This wave of wildfires coincides with an intense heatwave affecting Algeria and neighboring North African nations. Summer fires frequently impact the country’s Mediterranean forests, especially in mountainous and wooded regions across northern Algeria. Civil Protection authorities have repeatedly mobilized national and local units during peak fire seasons this summer.
The current outbreak has compounded an already challenging fire season that has damaged forests, agricultural land, and homes in parts of Algeria. Final estimates of land or property damage have not been announced. As officials monitor active hotspots, firefighting teams continue their suppression and evacuation operations. As of early Thursday, the confirmed toll stood at 12 dead and 54 injured in the latest figures.