Algeria Rallies in Solidarity as Wildfires Hit Northeast

Source: Xinhua| 2026-08-30 00:10:00|

Editor: huaxia

ALGIERS, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Algerian communities have been rallying to support families affected by devastating wildfires in the country's northeast, with volunteers organizing donation drives and convoys carrying essential supplies from across the country to the hardest-hit areas.

In Jijel province, days of destructive wildfires have left burned homes, charred vehicles, scorched forests and dead livestock. Images shared by residents on social media showed the extent of destruction in remote mountainous areas, triggering an outpouring of support beyond the affected areas.

Volunteers and local associations have set up collection points to gather drinking water, food, infant formula, baby diapers, clothing, blankets, and other necessities for displaced families.

"As soon as I saw the calls for help from our brothers and sisters in Jijel, I joined the campaign," said Farid, a 27-year-old trader from Algiers, while loading donations at a local collection point on Saturday.

"I bought drinking water and infant milk, loaded them into my van, and I am now on my way to Jijel with a friend to deliver the donations," he said.

The campaign also extended to the Algerian diaspora, with fundraising efforts organized abroad.

Meanwhile, authorities continue efforts to contain the remaining fires and assess the damage.

The Civil Protection Authority said in the latest statement on Saturday that 123 fires were recorded between Aug. 28 and 29 as of 7 a.m. local time (0600 GMT), of which 118 had been extinguished while five remained active.

Two of the ongoing fires were in Jijel, two in Setif and one in Tebessa, according to the statement.

In Jijel, crews continued battling five ongoing fires and hotspots, supported by two AT-802 firefighting aircraft, a Mi-26 heavy transport helicopter, and an amphibious water-bomber jet BE-200.

Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb visited Jijel on Friday, inspecting the affected areas by helicopter and meeting with residents.

Ghrieb reiterated the state's commitment to supporting those affected and attended a collective funeral for 39 people in the town of Djemaa Beni Habibi, as search operations continued for the missing, according to local reports.

The prime minister also visited the Dr. Said Chibane Major Burns Hospital in Zeralda, where injured people from the affected areas were receiving medical treatment. He said that President Abdelmadjid Tebboune had ordered full medical mobilization for the injured.

The official death toll remains at 12, as announced by Interior Minister Said Sayoud on Wednesday evening, with no updated nationwide figure released since.

The fires come amid a severe heat wave affecting the North African country. The meteorological service warned that temperatures could hit 49 degrees Celsius in some areas this week.

According to Civil Protection data, around 4,000 fires were recorded from May 1 to July 20, a sharp rise of almost 167 percent from the 1,501 recorded during the same period last year.