Algeria evacuates residents as wildfires spread in Annaba province

Algerian authorities evacuated residents from areas threatened by wildfires and cleared a hospital in the town of Seraidi in the eastern province of Annaba late Tuesday as firefighters continued efforts to contain the blazes.

The General Directorate of Civil Protection said in a statement that wildfires spread rapidly in Seraidi due to record-high temperatures and strong winds, adding that all available personnel and equipment had been mobilized to bring the situation under control.

Evacuations included residents living in threatened areas, while patients at Seraidi Hospital were transferred to safe locations as part of a precautionary plan to ensure their safety and the continuity of medical services, the organization added.

Ground firefighting teams, supported by aerial resources, are continuing to battle the fires in coordination with the Algerian army and other security agencies, the statement said.

Civil Protection urged residents to follow official instructions, avoid affected areas and fire sites, and rely on official updates rather than rumors.

As of 9 pm local time Tuesday (2000 GMT), Algeria had recorded 170 wildfires, of which 104 had been extinguished, while firefighting operations were continuing against 66 active fires across 19 provinces.

The Interior Ministry said Tuesday that six people had been killed in forest fires affecting several provinces across the country in recent days.

The fires come as Algeria has endured more than two weeks of record-breaking temperatures, reaching as high as 49 degrees Celsius (120.2 degrees Fahrenheit) in Mediterranean coastal cities, accompanied by hot, strong southerly winds.

According to Civil Protection data, 3,719 wildfires were recorded between May 1 and July 20, compared with 1,501 during the same period in 2025, an increase of nearly 150%.

The General Directorate of Forests said the fires destroyed more than 1,666 hectares (4,117 acres) of vegetation during that period, compared with 467 hectares (1,154 acres) a year earlier.

The losses represent the highest level of vegetation damage recorded since the widespread wildfires that swept Algeria in the summer of 2021.