Wildfires kill 12 in Algeria as severe heatwave sweeps North Africa

Twelve people were killed in wildfires that swept through several Algerian provinces, Interior Minister Said Sayoud said late on Wednesday, amid a severe heatwave gripping North Africa. The fatalities included five people in Jijel province, four in Bejaia and three in Tizi Ouzou. Sayoud and Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaoudene travelled to Bejaia to assess firefighting operations and the condition of those hurt, the official news agency APS said. Sayoud stated that 54 people had suffered burn injuries, including six in critical condition who are currently in intensive care. Algeria's civil protection services recorded 154 wildfires across the country on Wednesday. Thirty-six fires were reported in Bejaia province alone, of which 18 had been brought under control. To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site. Cover image: © France 24 01:39 Numerous families were evacuated in several provinces, including Bejaia and Jijel, as flames approached populated areas, various source...