Wildfires swept through several areas in Algeria and Tunisia, causing significant damage, as authorities were forced to evacuate a number of towns and villages after flames spread to homes, amid a severe heatwave that reached 50 degrees Celsius in some areas.

Algeria's Civil Defense (Protection Civile) said on Friday that it had recorded 159 fires since last Thursday, adding that 141 fires had been extinguished, while efforts to put out other fires were ongoing.

According to the Algerian Interior Ministry, the wildfires have so far killed 6 people and injured more than 100 others.

The ministry said authorities had deployed an aerial fleet to assist firefighters on the ground, comprising about 18 aircraft, including 12 firefighting planes, two large military aircraft, and a number of helicopters from both the army and civil defense.

Satellite image showing the scale of fires in forests in northeastern Algeria. July 21, 2026 - REUTERS

Nassim Bernaoui, communications director of the Algerian Civil Defense, told Al-Sharq that the provinces that saw the largest number of fires are Skikda, Annaba, Souk Ahras, Guelma, Bejaia, Constantine, and Setif in eastern Algeria; Bouira and Boumerdes in the center; and Mascara, Sidi Bel Abbes, and Tlemcen in the west.

He added: 'We are working under very difficult conditions, especially in terms of natural factors. Temperatures are very high, exceeding 50 degrees at times, and the winds are strong, particularly in the early days which caused the fires to spread.'

Algeria's Meteorological Office said on Friday that a heatwave will hit most of the northern and central regions over the next two days, with temperatures expected to range between 40 and 47 degrees Celsius.

600 fires in Tunisia

Tunisia also experienced a wave of fires that swept through several cities in the north and center of the country, while temperatures reached record levels in many areas.

This heatwave triggered more than 600 fires in two days across various areas, most notably in the forest of Jebel Ghar El Melh in the far north of the country, which caused heavy losses, destroying a series of upscale beachside restaurants that burned completely.

Tunisia's meteorological authority announced that temperatures reached 47 degrees Celsius in Kairouan and Tunis, while approaching 49 to 50 degrees Celsius in the northwestern and southern regions amid scorching winds.

The fires caused widespread power and water outages, particularly in the governorates of Kairouan, Jendouba, Gabes, Tozeur, and Beja, and led to some protests.

The Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas (STEG) has adopted a policy of load shedding and power cuts to protect the network from total collapse, amid a record surge in energy demand and Tunisians' increasing reliance on air conditioning.