Northern Morocco devastated by forest fire
An extensive mountain forest fire has rapidly spread in northern Morocco on August 13th, as reported by The New Arab via AFP. This is close to the tourist city of Chefchaouen, and has officially been declared as a “major” one by a source told to AFP. Canadair firefighting aircraft were working to contain the flames and limit the effects of the fire, however other details, such as the actual extent of the fire or damage, were not available. It has not been confirmed whether there are any victims or evacuations as of yet.
Strong winds have been sweeping through the area, fanning the flames. According to the news site Le360, two Canadair planes were operating in the Chefchaouen province, despite these “ strong winds.” The tourist hotspot is the home to 400,000 people, including 50,000 in the provincial capital. Residents of the province spoke to AFP by phone. One resident, Aziz Makhlouf, said that “the situation is catastrophic… the extent of the material damage seems quite large.” He also said that he hadn’t “seen such a fire in about 15 years.” Makhlouf commented on the authorities at the scene, commending them for their significant efforts to combat the fire. Residents have also assisted where they can, fighting against the fire by using buckets of water, as seen through videos shared online.
Le360 also reported that the fire had devastated “vast” areas of woodland between Bab Taza and Derdara. The wreckage has caused substantial damage to orchards and fields near Karankha, before spreading to another forest near the area.
Fires have also broken out near Tetouan and Tangier, two other tourist destinations in northern Morocco. The north of the country has been gripped by persistent droughts since 2018. Morocco has also been faced with heatwaves this summer, which has been worsened by strong, hot desert winds known as chergui, which blow in from the Sahara.
Morocco is neighboured by the nation of Algeria, which has also faced consequences from forest fires. The region of BejaĂŻa burned due to the breaking out of a wildfire in November 2024.
The New Arab via AFP, Maghrebi.org
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