019# North African Firestorms 2023
The Guardian newspaper characterizes North African wildfires of 2023 as a "blowtorch"
In north Africa farmers often set fires to manage farming and grazing lands across the tropical savannas and the semi-arid Sahel, a zone of transitional vegetation between the rainier savannas and the Sahara Desert.
People have been using fire as a land management tool in Africa for thousands of years. Many native plants have reproductive cycles that are linked to fire occurrence.
However, recent fires are more like fire storms that have spread to vast areas destroying everything in their path. Such fires, which are intense and widespread can degrade the land.
They contribute to poor air quality sometimes for weeks during the burning season.
To read more about the impact of the burning season on Africa’s air quality, see the article Savanna Smog.
North Africa heatwave: Wildfires kill dozens and force over 1,500 people to evacuate
Mediterranean wildfires
Burned areas in excess of 30 hectares (74 acres) in 14 days to 26 July 2023
Algeria
The wildfires in Algeria resulted in a death toll of at least 34 people, as firefighting efforts were carried out by 8,000 personnel to combat blazes in the dry northern regions. The fires spread across 15 provinces, leading to the evacuation of over 1,500 individuals from their homes.
The National Meteorological Office in Algeria recorded temperatures as high as 50°C (122°F) in certain areas, contributing to the intensity of the inferno. The situation required significant efforts to contain the forest fires along the country's Mediterranean coast. Approximately four-fifths of the blaze were brought under control by authorities.
The wildfires' impact extended beyond Algeria's borders, with neighboring Tunisia also facing fires due to strong winds carrying the flames and forcing the closure of two border crossings.
Globally, a relentless heatwave affected various regions, including China, the United States, southern Europe, and North Africa, resulting in a series of record-breaking temperatures and widespread devastation.
In addition to Algeria, Greece was grappling with forest fires for a week, necessitating the evacuation of numerous tourists from popular holiday destinations.
The wildfires in Algeria started in multiple provinces, including Skikda, Jijel, Bouira, Bejaia, Tebessa, Medea, Setif, and El Tarf, prompting the deployment of over 8,000 firefighters to control the flames.
Among the casualties, ten were soldiers, and the authorities executed evacuations to safeguard residents from the unfolding disaster.
Tunisia reported temperatures as high as 49°C (120°F) in some cities, leading to fires in various regions such as Tabarka, Bizerte, Beja, and Siliana. Civil protection units, assisted by forestry workers and the air force, were actively engaged in firefighting operations, prioritizing the protection of residential communities and an airport in Tabarka.
The report highlights the severity and scale of the wildfires in both Algeria and Tunisia, the measures taken to manage the crisis, and the impact of the extreme heatwave across different regions.
In 2021 wildfires in Algeria killed at least 90 people, including 30 soldiers, as they raged through nature reserves and villages.
Tunisia
Dozens of people were killed in Algeria, and more than 1,500 households were evacuated due to wildfires that spread to neighboring Tunisia. The fires, fueled by strong winds, forced the closure of two border crossings between the two countries, particularly affecting the north-western Tabarka region of Tunisia.
In Tunisia, over 300 people were evacuated from the coastal village of Melloula by boat and overland. Firefighters continued battling blazes in three areas in the north-west of Tunisia, namely Bizerte, Siliana, and Beja. The fires posed a significant challenge as they destroyed forests and agricultural areas, including citrus and hazelnut groves. One reported death occurred in Nafza, in the north-west, where a school principal died from asphyxiation caused by the fire.
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However, Tunisian firefighters, with assistance from the Algerian army and firefighting planes from Spain, were able to fully contain the fires that had broken out in several regions of Tunisia, as stated by the Tunisian Interior Minister.
The wildfires, which affected regions of both Algeria and Tunisia, resulted in at least 34 fatalities, including 10 soldiers. Algeria managed to contain a bushfire that had been raging in its forests.
The heatwave that swept across North Africa and southern Europe also impacted Tunisia, with temperatures reaching 49 degrees Celsius (120 Fahrenheit) in some cities.
Despite the challenging circumstances, Tunisian authorities reported no loss of life during the recent fires. The 600 evacuated residents were able to return to their homes.
In summary, wildfires in Algeria and Tunisia led to casualties and significant evacuations, while firefighters faced difficulties battling the flames in various regions. The cooperation of multiple parties, including the Algerian army and foreign firefighting support, proved essential in containing the fires. The heatwave added to the severity of the situation, with extremely high temperatures recorded in both countries. Nonetheless, Tunisian authorities were able to prevent any loss of life and eventually allowed evacuated residents to return home.
Morocco
182 Wildfires were Reported Across Morocco in 2023.
Wildfires in Morocco produced record-breaking carbon emissions.
According to the European Union's Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, wildfires in Morocco have resulted in record-breaking carbon emissions for the months of June and July this year. These fires have caused significant devastation in Northern Africa, leading to hundreds of fatalities, the evacuation of thousands of people, and the release of health-damaging pollution and greenhouse gases.
Morocco experienced an unprecedented record of 480,000 tonnes of carbon emissions from wildfires during the same June-July period, the highest observed in the last two decades. Copernicus monitors all carbon emitted by the fires, including greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane.
The data highlights the impact of climate change, exacerbating hot and dry conditions that facilitate faster and more prolonged fire spread. Consequently, wildfires release higher amounts of greenhouse gases, contributing to planetary warming, as well as air pollutants that pose risks to cardiovascular and respiratory health.
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Deadly fires rage along Algeria coast, spread to Tunisia | Reuters Tunisia says it contains wildfires that swept several regions | Reuters?