At least 12 people have died and dozens more injured as wildfires swept through northern Algeria on Wednesday, August 27th, 2026. Civil protection authorities reported dozens of blazes across several provinces along the northern coastline, with firefighters battling 69 active fires earlier in the evening.

Interior Minister Said Sayoud confirmed the fatalities occurred in Jijel (5 deaths), Bejaia (4 deaths), and Tizi Ouzou (3 deaths). At least 54 people suffered burn injuries, including six in critical condition receiving intensive care. Sayoud traveled to Bejaia with Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene to assess firefighting and evacuation efforts.

Authorities evacuated many homes in Bejaia and Jijel amid the ongoing emergency. The Algeria Press Service reported that Civil Protection teams recorded 154 fire outbreaks nationwide on the same day, with 36 in Bejaia province alone, half of which were brought under control.

This disaster comes amid a severe heatwave affecting northern Africa, particularly Algeria and Tunisia. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) noted that North Africa has experienced the most rapid warming among Africa's six subregions, at 0.43°C per decade between 1991 and 2025. The Bejaia region previously suffered devastating fires three years ago, which killed 30 people.

Additionally, wildfires have forced evacuations in other parts of Europe, including at least 800 people in western Spain.

Sources