At Least 12 Dead as Wildfires Sweep Northern Algeria
Wildfires fueled by a severe heatwave have killed at least 12 people and injured dozens across northern Algeria's coastal provinces, with firefighters battling nearly 70 blazes nationwide.
Dozens of wildfires are burning through provinces along Algeria's northern coast, leaving at least 12 people dead, civil protection authorities have reported. Interior Minister Said Sayoud said on Wednesday night that at least 54 people had suffered burn injuries, six of whom are in intensive care.
According to the minister, five deaths occurred in Jijel province, four in Bejaia, and three in Tizi Ouzou. Sayoud traveled to Bejaia together with Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene to review firefighting and evacuation efforts on the ground.
Numerous homes have been evacuated in Bejaia and Jijel. Local broadcaster Jijel News shared footage showing residents sheltering inside a post office as thick smoke filled the air outside.
Dozens of fires nationwide
As of Wednesday evening, firefighters were tackling 69 separate blazes across the country. Bejaia previously suffered a devastating wildfire disaster three years ago that killed 30 people in forest and farmland areas. Last month alone, Algeria recorded at least six wildfire deaths, and crews fought more than 2,000 fires nationwide during July.
While wildfires are a recurring feature of Algeria's summers, climate change has intensified their frequency and severity. The World Meteorological Organization has noted that extreme heat has become routine across North Africa, which recorded the fastest warming rate of any African subregion — 0.43C per decade between 1991 and 2025. A recent study also found that rising heat and water scarcity have contributed to increased camel deaths during summer heatwaves in Algeria.
