Algeria declares national mourning after deadly wildfires kill 12

wildfires Algeria forest fires national mourning civil protection

Algeria is in national mourning following a series of devastating wildfires that have claimed at least 12 lives and injured 54 people across several northeastern provinces. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has declared three days of national mourning, during which flags are flown at half-staff and public events are suspended.

Interior Minister Said Sayoud reported that the fatalities included five people in Jijel, four in Bejaia, and three in Tizi Ouzou. The fires, fueled by extreme heat and strong winds, caused significant damage to forests, crops, and livestock. The chaos also led to the closure of three national highways in the eastern regions.

Emergency response efforts involve approximately 19,000 personnel from the Civil Protection, the National People's Army, and other security services. While authorities have successfully extinguished 118 out of 123 recorded fires in a 24-hour period, five fires remained active in the provinces of Jijel, Setif, and Tebessa as of Saturday morning. Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb attended funeral services for the victims in Jijel and has emphasized the government's commitment to ecological restoration and supporting affected families.

Entities

Abdelmadjid Tebboune · Algeria · Algerian Civil Protection · Béjaïa · Djemaâ Beni Habibi · Jijel · Saïd Sayoud · Sifi Ghrieb

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] Three national highways in the eastern regions were closed due to the fires. www.bolnews.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Civil Protection reported 69 active fires on Wednesday evening. www.bolnews.com
[● 6 SOURCES] 12 people died in the wildfires. www.bolnews.com · cresus.dz · alkuwaitnews.net · lecollimateur.ma · lecourrier-dalgerie.com · +1 more
[● 3 SOURCES] President Tebboune declared three days of national mourning. www.bolnews.com · cresus.dz · lecourrier-dalgerie.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The death toll included five in Jijel, four in Bejaia, and three in Tizi Ouzou. www.bolnews.com · alkuwaitnews.net · s.alwakeelnews.com
[● 4 SOURCES] At least 54 people were injured in the fires. www.bolnews.com · cresus.dz · lecollimateur.ma · s.alwakeelnews.com
[● 3 SOURCES] 123 fires were recorded between August 28 and 29. alkuwaitnews.net · s.alwakeelnews.com · www.tsa-algerie.com
[● 3 SOURCES] Five fires remained active as of Saturday morning. alkuwaitnews.net · s.alwakeelnews.com · www.tsa-algerie.com