Morocco fights forest fires as situation in Algeria is “under control”

Firefighters in northern Morocco are fighting to put out two forest fires as the North African kingdom suffocates in a heat wave. Most of the forest fires that hit neighboring Algeria last week are now “under control” and no longer endanger residents, according to emergency services.

“Unceasing efforts are underway to control the fires which broke out on Saturday afternoon,” said Rachid El-Anzi, director of the Moroccan department of water and forests in the Chefchaouen region.

He said firefighting planes were being used to fight fires that had already destroyed some 200 hectares of forest.

Several regions of the North African kingdom recorded temperatures of up to 49 ° C, according to meteorological authorities.

“There were no casualties, as priority was given to preventing fires as they approach residential areas,” El-Anzi said.

He added that the cause of the fires was not known, but that they were caused by high temperatures and strong winds, which are expected to last until Monday.

Morocco joins several other Mediterranean countries that have experienced forest fires in recent weeks, including neighboring Algeria where at least 90 people were killed in forest fires last week.

Algerian police arrest 36 people after “incendiary” lynching

Algerian police have meanwhile arrested 36 people, including three women, following the lynching of a man suspected of having started one of the country’s forest fires.

Authorities have repeatedly blamed “criminals” for the epidemics.

“A preliminary investigation (…) into the homicide, lynching, immolation and mutilation (…) of Djamel Ben Ismail (…) led to the arrest of 36 suspects including three women” police chief Mohamed Chakour told reporters.

He said Ben Ismail, 38, “went on his own” to a police station in the hard-hit region of Tizi Ouzou after learning he was suspected of being involved.

“A large crowd” quickly gathered outside, Chakour said at a televised press conference. A man was killed.

The Algerian human rights group LADDH called for calm and justice for those responsible for what they called a “despicable murder”.