Deadly Wildfires Ravage Northern Algeria, Claim At Least 12 Lives

At least 12 people have been killed and dozens injured as wildfires burn through large swathes of northern Algeria.

Civil protection authorities reported that dozens of blazes swept through several provinces along the country’s northern coastline.

Interior Minister Said Sayoud confirmed that 54 people suffered burn injuries, with six patients being treated in intensive care.

The fatalities were spread across the provinces of Jijel (five dead), Bejaia (four dead), and Tizi Ouzou (three dead).

Minister Sayoud travelled to Bejaia with Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene to assess local firefighting and evacuation efforts.

Many homes in Bejaia and Jijel were evacuated, as residents took refuge in post offices surrounded by thick clouds of smoke, footage shared by local broadcaster Jijel News shows.

Firefighters were battling 69 blazes across the country, according to the civil protection agency.

Bejaia’s past has seen devastating fires three years ago that claimed 30 lives, echoing this year’s tragedy.

Last month, authorities recorded at least six deaths caused by fires, with crews battling more than 2,000 blazes across Algeria in July alone.

Algeria regularly experiences forest fires during summer months, but climate change has exacerbated the intensity and severity of recent wildfires in the country.

The World Meteorological Organization reported that extreme heat has become common in North Africa, with the region experiencing the most rapid warming of the six African subregions—0.43°C per decade between 1991 and 2025.

Rising heat and water shortages have also increased camel deaths during summer heatwaves, a recent study revealed.