Devastating Wildfires Claim Lives in Algeria as Heatwave Grips Mediterranean, Sparking Climate Change Concerns
Wildfires in Algeria claim over 30 lives, including 10 soldiers, as extreme heat and strong winds fuel the flames. Thousands evacuated as firefighters battle 97 blazes across the country. Investigation underway. Climate change exacerbates Mediterranean heatwave crisis.
Wildfires have ravaged Algeria, resulting in the deaths of over 30 people, including 10 soldiers who were battling the flames. The fires were fueled by fierce winds and extreme temperatures, with some areas reaching 48 degrees Celsius (118 Fahrenheit).
#Wildfires claim 25 lives in #Algeria as a heatwave spreads across north #Africa and southern #Europe
— Earth42morrow (@Earth42morrow) July 24, 2023
People take refuge on the beaches in #Béjaïa #Bouira #Jijel
Wildfires have also been reported in Tunisia’s border city of Tabarka
VC: Algerian Ministry of Interior#Algerie… pic.twitter.com/nruhPwUdYY
The Algerian interior ministry reported a total of 97 blazes across 16 provinces. The fires have forced the evacuation of around 1,500 people from the Bejaia, Bouira, and Jijel provinces in the country's Mediterranean coastal region. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune expressed his condolences to the victims' families, both civilians and security personnel.
Let’s not forget #Algeria where at least 15 people died yesterday as a result of #wildfires!!!
— Volcaholic 🇰🇪 🇬🇧 🌋 (@volcaholic1) July 24, 2023
via: @radioalginter pic.twitter.com/P1uh6nVK1l
More than 7,500 firefighters, supported by 350 trucks and aerial assistance, are working to bring the fires under control. The fires have destroyed residential areas, as well as fields, forests, vehicles, and storefronts. The cause and potential perpetrators of the fires are being investigated.
These wildfires come as the region experiences a heatwave, with other Mediterranean countries also breaking temperature records. The Mediterranean region is considered a climate change "hot spot," with increased heatwaves, droughts, and rising seas predicted.