In brief
A severe heatwave has driven a series of destructive wildfires across northern Algeria, leaving at least 12 people dead and more than 50 injured. Firefighters and civil protection teams have battled 69 blazes in provinces such as Jijel, Bejaia and Tizi Ouzou, evacuating thousands of homes in the process. The National Interior Minister travelled to assess firefighting and evacuation efforts after the fires spread rapidly. Experts note that rising temperatures and water shortages, linked to climate change, are exacerbating fire severity in the region.
At least 12 people have been killed and dozens injured as wildfires burn through northern Algeria. Civil protection authorities reported that dozens of blazes swept along the country’s northern coastline.
Interior Minister Said Sayoud warned that 54 people suffered burn injuries, six of them in intensive care, and that the region is suffering from a severe heatwave. Five people died in Jijel province, four in Bejaia and three in Tizi Ouzou.
Minister Sayoud and Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene travelled to Bejaia to assess local firefighting and evacuation efforts. Many homes in Bejaia and Jijel have been evacuated, and residents took refuge in a post office as thick smoke billowed overhead.
Firefighters battled 69 blazes across the country. The Bejaia region experienced devastating fires three years ago that killed 30 people. The following month, authorities recorded at least six deaths caused by fires, and more than 2,000 blazes were fought across Algeria in July alone.
While Algeria routinely experiences forest fires during summer, climate change has intensified the intensity and severity of recent wildfires. The World Meteorological Organization reported that extreme heat has become common in North Africa, experiencing the fastest warming of any African subregion between 1991 and 2025.
Rising heat and water shortages have also led to an increase in camel deaths during summer heatwaves, a recent study revealed.
