ALGIERS / Abbas Mimouni / Anadolu

Algerian authorities announced on Monday that 127 of 146 fires that broke out in various provinces of the country over the past 24 hours have been extinguished, while efforts continue to control 19 fires that remain active.

This was stated in a statement by Lieutenant Colonel Nassim Bernaoui, Deputy Director of Information and Awareness at the General Directorate of Civil Protection, to official Algerian radio.

Bernaoui said that firefighting teams continue their operations in coordination with army units, the forestry directorate, local communities, mayors, as well as various concerned institutions and citizens, to contain the remaining fires and prevent their spread.

He explained that Algeria has been experiencing an exceptional wave of forest and bush fires for about 12 days, coinciding with high temperatures.

He added that 'civil protection services have dealt with about 1,460 fires across the country since July 1, and have managed to extinguish between 85 and 90 percent of them.'

He pointed out that 'the total number of fires since May 1 has reached 3,719, compared to 1,501 fires during the same period in 2025, an increase of nearly double,' noting that the last twelve days recorded the majority of the season's fires.

Regarding the distribution of active fires, Bernaoui said they include most of the northern provinces of the country.

Regarding losses, he reported that 'statistics from the General Directorate of Forests indicate damage to more than 1,666 hectares of vegetation cover.'

Bernaoui explained that this includes '356 hectares of forests, 545 hectares of scrubland, 661 hectares of bush, 14 hectares of esparto grass, in addition to 89 hectares of fruit trees and mountain agricultural crops.'

He added that these losses far exceed those recorded during the same period in 2025, which did not exceed 467 hectares, reflecting the severity of the fire wave the country is experiencing this season.

Algeria has been experiencing a heatwave for days, accompanied by the outbreak of dozens of fires, while civil protection teams, supported by aerial and ground means, continue their efforts to limit the spread of fires and protect the population and property.

In recent years, Algeria has witnessed widespread fires that have killed and injured dozens of people, in addition to destroying large areas of forests and vegetation, prompting authorities to tighten penalties on those responsible for starting them, reaching in some cases up to 30 years in prison.