An unwanted and feared visitor of the summer stroke-in on Algeria from an exceptional heatwave, lighting up severe wildfires in multiple locations with over 154 fires across the country, on August 26/2026. The battle to curb these incidence is severely ongoing, these is an utmost emergencies provision in an unfriendly summer period. At least more than 12 people have died, many more are injured and some are in critical conditions.
The loss of lives from this unfortunate instances, happened in the northeastern provinces of Jijel, Béjaïa and Tizi Ouzou, where multiple numbers of people were killed, respectively. Some of the victims are children. Most of the homes in these areas, are currently abandoned by families. Farms, livestock and other valuable properties are left behind, because of the fear of losing more lives to the angering-fest of heatwave, as it transits rapidly across forest areas.
The disaster has transformed a recurring summer hazard, into a bigger national concern on how Algeria can protect her people, economy and rural communities, when extreme heat turns dangerous. By the way, extreme heat has become more frequent and intense in the North Africa.
The fires erupted as the powerful heatwave affected the neighbouring Tunisia. Some features that power this heatwave transit are, high temperatures, dry vegetation and strong winds. They created conditions in which fires could ignite easily and spread with little warning.
Béjaïa was among the worst affected, with 36 fires recorded in a single day. Authorities said several of the fires were brought under control. Firefighting operations are still holding-forth in parts of Béjaïa and Jijel. Blazes were also reported in Skikda, El Tarf, Bouira, Tizi Ouzou and Tebessa. The emergency attention in this situation, is a race against time for residents in exposed communities. Securing their children and elderly relatives, moving livestock, protecting homes and deciding what belongings can be carried when evacuation orders come, is the most relevant attention needed by the people in these heat-plagued communities.
The extreme weather also highlights a long-term environmental problem. Algeria’s Mediterranean north, has historically been vulnerable to summer wildfires, but hotter temperatures, prolonged drought and increasingly dry vegetation can make fires more frequent and harder to contain. The World Meteorological Organization says, North Africa is warmed-up by about 0.4°C% between 1991 and 2023, faster than the rest part of Africa as a whole.
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