Communities in northern and north-eastern Algeria are recovering from a summer in which two waves of wildfires, driven by North African heatwaves, killed 18 people. The Algeria wildfires struck the wilayas of Jijel, Béjaïa, Tizi Ouzou, Annaba, El Tarf, Guelma, Bouira and others, and as of September 1 the Algerian Red Crescent estimated that about 15,000 people had been affected across both waves.
The first wave peaked on July 18, when 154 forest, vegetation and agricultural fires were recorded in 24 hours and the Interior Ministry confirmed six deaths. In Seraïdi, near Annaba, more than 100 patients were evacuated from a rehabilitation hospital. A second wave began on August 26, when fires in 10 provinces killed 12 people (five in Jijel, four in Béjaïa and three in Tizi Ouzou) and injured 54. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune declared three days of mourning. At the peak, 193 fires were reported on August 27. About 3,260 people were evacuated during the second wave, and the fires recorded between August 26 and 30 were later contained. Fires also burned about 12,000 hectares in neighboring Tunisia.
Some evacuated families lost their homes or were unable to return because their houses were severely damaged or unsafe. The Algerian Red Crescent, part of the global Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, has provided first aid, drinking water, food and psychosocial support, and is running an IFRC Disaster Response Emergency Fund operation launched on July 29 to assist 8,000 people. Government and local authorities are carrying out loss assessments and recovery measures covering housing, agriculture, livestock and livelihoods.
To support families rebuilding after the fires, visit the Algeria wildfires disaster page, or browse our list of disaster relief organizations to find other ways to help.
