Algeria battles scores of wildfires that have killed 12, injured dozens

Sixty-four wildfires were still burning across 10 Algerian provinces on Friday, most of them in the eastern Jijel province, after authorities extinguished 110 out of 174 fires that erupted nationwide over the past 24 hours.

According to a statement by the General Directorate of Civil Protection, Jijel topped the list of provinces for ongoing fires with 20, followed by Skikda with 14, El Tarf near the Tunisian border with 10, Guelma with six, Annaba with five, and Bejaia with four.

Bouira, meanwhile, is still contending with two fires, while Tebessa, Constantine and Mila are still battling one each.

Emergency teams have continued efforts to extinguish the blazes with aerial support from BE-200 military aircraft, AT-802 firefighting aircraft and Mi-26 helicopters.

Areas where firefighting efforts remain underway include Taxenna, Ziama Mansouriah, El Milia, Ouled Yahia Khedrouche and Chekfa in Jijel, along with areas in Skikda, El Tarf and Annaba.

12 KILLED, 54 INJURED

The spate of fires that erupted Wednesday has killed 12 people to date -- five in Jijel, four in Bejaia and three in Tizi Ouzou, according to Interior Minister Said Sayoud.

Another 54 people have sustained injuries, including six in critical condition, the minister said.

On Thursday, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune declared three days of national mourning, ordering flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims.

On the same day, Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb traveled to Jijel to oversee firefighting efforts and visit the injured and local residents in affected areas.

The fires come amid a severe heat wave affecting North Africa, where authorities say they have mobilized land and air resources with a view to protecting lives and property.

On Tuesday, Algeria's meteorological service warned of an anticipated heat wave in several provinces this week, with temperatures forecast to reach 49C in some areas.

According to Civil Protection data, around 4,000 fires were recorded in the period from May 1 to July 20, compared with 1,501 during the same period last year, representing an increase of nearly 167 percent.