Algerian Civil Protection services recorded 174 fires involving vegetation and agricultural crops across several wilayas of the country between August 27 and August 28, 2026, until 7 AM. This significant number of incidents notes the challenging conditions faced by emergency responders. Intervention teams successfully extinguished 110 of these blazes, demonstrating a rapid response to many of the outbreaks. As of the reporting period, 64 active fire hotspots remained ongoing, distributed across 10 wilayas, indicating a continuing struggle to contain all incidents. The fires primarily affected vegetation and agricultural crops, posing a threat to both natural environments and rural livelihoods across the affected regions.
Wilaya Fire Hotspots Detailed
Jijel province currently leads in the number of active fire incidents, with 20 fires reported, making it the most affected wilaya in terms of ongoing blazes. Skikda province follows closely with 14 active fires, indicating another significant area of concern for emergency services. El Tarf province has recorded 10 fires, requiring substantial resources for containment. Meanwhile, Guelma province reported 6 incidents, contributing to the overall count of active hotspots. Annaba province is dealing with 5 fires, while Bejaia province has 4, adding to the geographical spread of the crisis. Bouira province recorded 2 fires, and Tebessa province, Constantine province, and Mila province each reported 1 fire, showing the widespread nature of the fire activity across the country.
In Jijel province, 13 fires broke out across several municipalities, contributing to its status as the wilaya with the highest number of ongoing incidents. Skikda province recorded 9 fires impacting the municipalities of Filfila, Bekouch Lakhdar, Zerdaia, Azzaba, Ain Zayt, Ramdane Djamel, Ain Qasr, and Oum Toub, illustrating the broad impact within this region. These wilayas are experiencing the highest concentration of ongoing fire activity as emergency services continue their response efforts, working tirelessly to protect communities and natural resources. The diverse geographical locations of these outbreaks present a complex challenge for coordination and resource allocation.
Emergency Response Deployed
Algerian authorities have mobilized significant air assets to combat the widespread fires, key for rapid intervention and containment. Two BE-200 firefighting planes, operated by the People's National Army, were deployed as part of the emergency response, providing substantial water-dropping capabilities. Additionally, four AT-802 firefighting planes were also dispatched to assist in extinguishing the blazes, further bolstering the aerial fleet. These fixed-wing aircraft are instrumental in dousing large areas and creating firebreaks.
In the wilaya of Annaba, two Mi-26 helicopters belonging to the People's National Army were deployed to support ground efforts, offering versatile water delivery and logistical support in challenging terrains. Two AT-802 firefighting planes were specifically assigned to operations in Annaba, focusing aerial suppression efforts on this particular hotspot. Further aiding the response, two Mi-26 helicopters were deployed to the wilaya of Bejaia, contributing to the aerial suppression efforts across the affected regions. This full deployment of both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters shows the gravity of the situation and the commitment to controlling the fires.
Ongoing Operations and Locations
El Tarf province recorded five fires across the municipalities of Lac des Oiseaux, Chafia, Bouhtelja, and Hammam Ben Salah, where firefighting teams are actively engaged in containment. Guelma province simultaneously witnessed five fires in the municipalities of Hammam Nbaïl, Salaoua Announa, Ain Ben Beida, and Bouati Mahmoud, indicating multiple fronts of engagement for emergency personnel. In Bejaia province, two fires were reported in El Ksar and Tichy municipalities, necessitating focused efforts in these areas.
Firefighting operations are actively underway in Kadiria municipality within Bouira province, as responders work to bring the situation under control. Similar efforts are concentrated in El Hammamet municipality, Tebessa province, where teams are battling persistent blazes. Emergency services are also engaged in combating fires in Ibn Ziad municipality, Constantine province, and Amira Arras municipality, Mila province, as response teams continue to address the widespread incidents. The concerted efforts across these numerous locations highlight the extensive nature of the fire crisis and the ongoing dedication of Algerian Civil Protection and military assets to mitigate the impact.
