**Algeria Declares Three Days of National Mourning After Deadly Wildfires**
*Algiers, 28 August 2026* – The Algerian government announced a three‑day period of national mourning on Thursday following a series of wildfires in the country’s northern regions that have killed at least 12 people and injured dozens more.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune issued a statement expressing “a heavy heart and a soul in mourning at the tragedy of the loss of our fellow citizens” and ordered the cancellation of all cultural events and sporting competitions during the mourning period.
**Casualties and Injuries**
According to Interior Minister Said Sayoud, the death toll includes five people in Jijel province, four in Béjaïa and three in Tizi Ouzou. A further 54 individuals are receiving treatment for burns, six of whom remain in serious condition.
**Extent of the Fires**
Algeria’s civil protection service reported that, as of Thursday morning, 46 fires were still active out of 193 that had been recorded in the preceding 24 hours. Video footage circulating online on Wednesday showed large areas engulfed in flames, though the authenticity of the clips could not be independently verified by AFP.
The gendarmerie confirmed the closure of three major roads linking eastern Algerian regions due to forest fires near the cities of Béjaïa, Jijel and Sétif.
**Weather Complications**
Minister Sayoud noted that “adverse weather conditions, rising temperatures, strong and intense winds, and high concentrations of smoke” have hampered the deployment of firefighting aircraft. International weather portal Eldorado Weather listed three Algerian cities among the world’s hottest locations, with Bouchegouf recording a temperature of 49.8 °C.
**Context and Historical Comparison**
Forest fires are a recurring summer hazard in northern Algeria, but officials attribute the increasing severity of recent incidents to climate‑related factors such as prolonged droughts and extreme heat. In July 2023, more than 30 people died when fires swept through forests, farmland and homes around Béjaïa. In July of the current year, authorities documented nearly 2,000 fires nationwide.
The neighboring Kingdom of Morocco is also experiencing an intense heatwave, with temperatures reported at 49 °C.
**Response Efforts**
Firefighters continue to combat the blazes, while health services treat the injured. The government has not yet announced additional measures beyond the mourning period and event cancellations.
*This report is based on statements from Algerian officials and data from civil protection services, as well as information from international weather monitoring sources.*
Article and image source: allafrica.com
