Algerian Firefighters Battle Wildfire Near Algiers After Families Evacuated

Algerian firefighters battled wildfire hotspots near Tipaza for a second straight day on Friday, after fast-moving flames driven by unseasonably high temperatures and strong winds forced the evacuation of around 50 families, authorities said.

Wind gusts exceeding 60 kilometers per hour helped the fires spread rapidly overnight Thursday, according to local media.

“Some hotspots have been brought under control, while extinguishing other embers continues,” the civil protection service said in a statement issued at 14:39 local time (1339 GMT).

The Health Ministry said no fatalities had been reported.

Residents from several villages near Tipaza fled their homes and took shelter in schools and youth centers, local reports added.

Civil defense officials said about 300 firefighters and two water-bombing aircraft were deployed to contain the blaze.

Scientists have long warned that climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels is intensifying droughts and creating conditions that make wildfires more frequent and more severe.