Algeria fights 14 active forest fires amid ongoing heat wave

Algerian civil protection teams continued efforts on Thursday to contain 14 active wildfires across 12 provinces, as temperatures were forecast to reach as high as 48°C (118.4°F) in parts of the country.

In its daily update, the General Directorate of Civil Protection said that it had responded to more than 100 fires over the past 24 hours, with firefighting operations still underway at 14 sites.It added that 89 fires had been fully extinguished, while another 14 sites remained under monitoring to prevent reigniting.

The largest firefighting operations were carried out in provinces requiring aerial support, particularly Setif in eastern Algeria, where crews continued battling two brush and woodland fires in the municipalities of Beni Mouhli and Beni Ourtilane.

In the western province of Saida, firefighters continued efforts to contain two forest fires in Ouled Brahim and Moulay Larbi, with support from one BE-200 aircraft and three AT-802 planes, in addition to ground teams from the neighboring province of Sidi Bel Abbes.

In Tlemcen, another forest fire remained active as a BE-200 aircraft carried out four water-dropping sorties.

Firefighting operations also continued in Bejaia province, where crews were tackling three forest and brush fires in the municipalities of Ouzellaguen, Darguina and Beni Maouche.

Authorities said firefighting efforts were also ongoing in Tebessa, Tizi Ouzou, Ouargla, Annaba, Sidi Bel Abbes, Medea, Bordj Bou Arreridj and Ain Defla, with teams working to prevent the flames from spreading to residential areas and farmland.

Meanwhile, officials said that fires had been fully brought under control in several provinces, including Adrar, Chlef, Batna, Bouira, Tizi Ouzou, Jijel, Tiaret, Djelfa, Skikda, Medea, Mascara, Tissemsilt, Illizi, Souk Ahras, Mila, Khenchela and Relizane.

Separately, Civil Protection Deputy Director of Operations Lt. Col. Karim Harbi said Algeria had recorded 932 fires since July 8, with 913 extinguished as of Wednesday morning, according to the state news agency APS.The firefighting campaign comes as a heat wave affecting several provinces is expected to continue through Friday.The national meteorological service placed the eastern provinces of Bejaia, Jijel, Skikda, Annaba and El Tarf under an orange alert, forecasting maximum temperatures between 40°C (104°F) and 44°C (111.2°F), with some areas expected to reach between 46°C (114.8°F) and 48°C (118.4°F).

Algeria has experienced increasingly frequent droughts and extreme heat in recent years, heightening the risk of wildfires. Previous fire seasons have killed and injured dozens of people and destroyed vast areas of forests and vegetation, prompting authorities to impose tougher penalties on those responsible for starting fires, including prison terms up to 30 years.

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