Forest fires in Algeria are still raging, and the death toll has risen to 26

Weather of Arabia - At least 38 people were killed and dozens of others were injured, in forest fires that swept through 14 provinces north and east of Algeria, which awakened the specter of the summer of 2021, which recorded the largest number of fire victims in the country's history.

Algerian Interior Minister Kamal Beljoud told Algerian television, on Wednesday evening, that the fires that swept the east of the country caused 24 casualties, while statistics, on Thursday, indicated that the number of victims had risen to 38, including 30 in El Tarf, two victims in Setif, and 5 Victims in the state of Souk Ahras in the east of the country.

With the tally recorded, Thursday, the number of victims of this summer's fires has risen to 41. The summer of 2021 was the most recorded number of victims, as at least 90 people died in forest fires that hit the north of the country, and destroyed more than 100,000 hectares of forests.

The Algerian authorities are dealing with huge fires whose spread has expanded, especially in the eastern regions, as a result of the heat wave sweeping the North African region.

Beljoud added that the Algerian authorities are trying to control the fires , "but the temperature and wind are making the task difficult."

The Civil Protection indicated that 39 fires were recorded in 14 provinces, on Wednesday, including Setif, El Tarf, Souk Ahras, Skikda, Tizi Ouzou, Batna, Constantine and Guelma, and that the border province of El Tarf with Tunisia alone recorded 16 fires.

The Minister of the Interior indicated that 350 families in the state of Souk Ahras were evacuated due to the fires, pointing to the deployment of 700 members of the Civil Defense Authority and helicopters to participate in extinguishing the fires in the east of the country.

Helicopters intervened in three states, including Souk Ahras, with a population of about 500,000, and El Tarf, with a population of 100,000. Among these helicopters, those belonging to the Civil Protection were supported by helicopters of the army.

Algeria rented a Russian Beriev BE 200 water-bomber plane, but after it intervened to put out several fires, this plane broke down, and it will not be ready to fight the fires again before Saturday, according to the minister.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune offered his condolences to the families of the victims, stressing that the state stood by them and worked to put out these fires, harnessing all human capabilities and material means to put out the fires and take care of the injured.

In Souk Ahras, to the east near the Algerian border with Tunisia, people were seen fleeing their homes as the fires spread before helicopters were deployed to fight the fires.

Authorities said earlier that four people in Souk Ahras had burns and 41 others had difficulty breathing. Media reports stated that 350 residents were evacuated from the area.

The Civil Protection Authority stated that "39 fires are still burning in 14 states," noting that El-Taref was the most affected, with 16 fires continuing.

Helicopters were used to throw water on fires in three states, including Souk Ahras.

It is noteworthy that Algeria has witnessed the outbreak of 106 fires since the beginning of August, destroying more than 2,500 hectares of forest, and Interior Minister Beljoud said that some of the fires were an active act.

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As of Wednesday , the total number of people killed in forest fires this summer has risen to 30 in Algeria .

Last year, at least 90 people died in forest fires that swept northern Algeria, destroying more than 100,000 hectares of forest.

The northern regions are affected every year by forest fires, a problem exacerbated by climate change.

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