ALGIERS — Wildfires burning through northern Algeria killed at least 12 people and injured dozens, civil protection authorities confirmed Wednesday. The blazes swept across several provinces along the country's northern coastline.
Interior Minister Said Sayoud reported that 54 people suffered burn injuries, with six receiving intensive care. Five deaths occurred in Jijel province, four in Bejaia and three in Tizi Ouzou.
Sayoud traveled to Bejaia with Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene to assess firefighting and evacuation efforts in the affected region.
Many homes in Bejaia and Jijel provinces were evacuated. Local broadcaster Jijel News showed residents sheltering in a post office as thick smoke surrounded them.
Firefighters battled 69 separate blazes across the country Wednesday evening, the civil protection agency said.
The fires occurred as northern Africa endured extreme heat. A severe heatwave was affecting Tunisia and Algeria, creating conditions that accelerate fire ignition and spread.
Bejaia faced similar devastation three years ago when fires killed 30 people. In July alone, fire crews responded to more than 2,000 blazes across Algeria.
Climate change has intensified the severity and frequency of Algeria's summer wildfires. The World Meteorological Organization reported that North Africa is the most rapidly warming of Africa's six subregions, with temperatures rising 0.43 degrees Celsius per decade between 1991 and 2025.
