Morocco struggles to contain forest fires

RABAT, Morocco

Moroccan authorities are struggling to bring fires that ravaged remote mountain forests under control.

“The flames have damaged around 4,600 hectares of forests,” Fouad Assali, head of the National Center for Climate and Forest Risk Management, told the local M24 TV channel.

He said firefighters were struggling for a fifth day in a row to contain fires that erupted in the areas of Larache, Ouezzane, Tetouan, and Taza in northern Morocco.

“Firefighters have managed to bring almost half of the wildfires that erupted in the country,” he added.

Morocco has been hit in recent days by soaring temperatures approaching 45 degrees Celsius (113 Fahrenheit).

According to local authorities, one person was killed by the fires, which forced the evacuation of more than 1,000 families.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar