Algeria mobilizes 19,000 firefighters to tackle unprecedented forest fire crisis

Since the start of the summer of 2026, dozens of forest fires have swept across northern Algeria, particularly in the provinces of Béjaïa, Tizi Ouzou, Jijel and Skikda. The government activated an emergency plan, deploying close to 19,000 firefighters, civil‑protection units, the Algerian People's Army, Canadair aircraft and helicopters to contain the blazes. The flames have caused multiple casualties, forced the evacuation of entire villages and destroyed thousands of hectares of forest, homes, crops, livestock and infrastructure.

Climate experts cite rising temperatures, prolonged drought and successive heat waves as the backdrop that intensifies the fire risk in the Mediterranean region. Nationwide solidarity has emerged, with donation drives and calls for vigilance.

An Algerian‑origin innovation—using concrete‑mixing pumps to spray large volumes of water onto hard‑to‑reach fire fronts—has gained attention. Videos show the machines delivering pressurised streams over tens of metres, an approach that French fire services are also evaluating amid their own severe forest‑fire emergencies.