In brief
In a brutal sweep across Algeria’s north, more than a dozen deaths and dozens of injuries have been reported as dozens of blazes erupt under a fierce heatwave. The Interior Minister and health officials are on the ground, assessing firefighting and evacuation efforts. The country, which routinely battles forest fires, sees this year’s stunts intensified by climate change. The World Meteorological Organization notes that North Africa is warming faster than any other African subregion. Local residents have taken refuge in community buildings as authorities call for urgent support.
At least 12 people have died as wildfires rage across northern Algeria. A series of blazes have scorched several coastal provinces during a severe heatwave, leaving dozens injured and many homes evacuated.
Civil protection authorities say firefighters are battling 69 separate fires across the country. Interior Minister Said Sayoud, along with Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene, visited Bejaia to assess local firefighting and evacuation efforts.
Residents in Bejaia and Jijel have been hunkered down in community shelters as thick clouds of smoke drift over the region. The injuries tally at 54, with six currently in intensive care.
Algeria’s history of forest fires is long, yet this year’s intensity reflects an alarming trend driven by rising temperatures and water shortages. The World Meteorological Organization reports that North Africa has warmed by 0.43 °C per decade between 1991 and 2025, the fastest rate of change in Africa.
As the skies flare, analysts warn that climate change could turn future heatwaves into even more deadly ignition points across fertile but dry landscapes.
