Algeria's Interior Minister Said Sayoud said on August 24 that at least 12 people had died and 54 others were injured in wildfires raging in the country's northeast, in the provinces of Jijel, Bejaia, and Tizi Ouzou.
Speaking at a hospital in the city of Souk El Thenine in Bejaia province, where victims were being treated for burns and smoke inhalation, Sayoud confirmed: “Five deaths were recorded in Jijel province, four in Bejaia, and three in Tizi Ouzou.” He also said the hospital was treating 54 burn cases, including six people in critical condition.
According to Sayoud, civil protection forces recorded 154 fire hotspots nationwide on August 24, including 36 in Bejaia province, with 18 already contained. Firefighting teams had brought blazes under control in the provinces of Skikda, El Tarf, Bouira, Tizi Ouzou, and Tebessa. However, operations were ongoing in Bejaia with 18 active hotspots, and in Jijel, where fires were burning across 12 municipalities.
Severe heatwaves are sweeping across Algeria and neighboring Tunisia, heightening the risk of wildfires. Footage broadcast by the regional news outlet Jijel News showed residents taking refuge in a post office amid thick smoke. Sayoud said dozens of families had been evacuated from affected areas.
Algeria regularly experiences deadly seasonal wildfires during the peak summer months. In the past month alone, at least six people died. In recent years, intense heatwaves and strong winds have increased the wildfire risk along the country's heavily forested Mediterranean coast, with disasters aggravated by drought and climate change.
