At least 12 people have died and dozens more injured as wildfires rage across northern Algeria.
Civil Protection authorities counted 69 blazes nationwide, with 54 burn injuries and six patients in intensive care.
Interior Minister Said Sayoud announced that five people were killed in Jijel province, four in Bejaia and three in Tizi Ouzou.
Sayoud travelled to Bejaia alongside Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene to assess firefighting and evacuation efforts.
Many homes in Bejaia and Jijel have been evacuated; residents took refuge in a post office as thick smoke billowed, according to local broadcaster Jijel News.
The Bejaia region endured a devastating fire three years ago that claimed 30 lives. Last month, authorities recorded six deaths from fires, while July alone saw more than 2,000 blazes across Algeria.
Although Algeria regularly experiences summer forest fires, climate change has amplified their intensity and severity. The World Meteorological Organization reports that extreme heat is now common in North Africa, with the region warming 0.43°C per decade between 1991 and 2025.
Rising temperatures and water shortages have also led to an increase in camel deaths during heatwaves, a recent study reveals.
