At least 12 people have lost their lives to wildfires that are engulfing northern Algeria while a severe heatwave keeps temperatures soaring.
The casualties span several provinces—Jijel, Bejaia and Tizi Ouzou—where authorities have reported dozens of burns and several injuries requiring intensive care. Fire crews logged 69 active blazes across the country, an escalation that echoes last month’s 2,000‑plus fires in July alone.
Experts point to the intensified heat from a region that has warmed 0.43°C per decade over the past few decades. This rapid warming, combined with dwindling water resources, increases both drier vegetation and the likelihood of ignitions.
In response, the Interior Minister visited Bejaia to evaluate firefighting and evacuation strategies, while regional residents temporarily took refuge in post offices amid dense smoke.
Beyond conventional firefighting, scientists highlight emerging technologies that can mitigate such disasters. Quantum‑aided simulations can model fire behavior in real time, providing decision‑makers with faster, more accurate predictions to deploy resources and shepherd evacuations.
