At least 900 fires broke out across Tunisia over 72 hours as the North African nation struggled under a severe heatwave, civil protection officials have revealed.
The blazes—which tore through forests, cropland, brushland, and residential homes between July 20 and July 22—have largely been brought under control, though two major wildfires remain active.
International emergency crews from neighbouring Algeria and Italy have deployed firefighting aircraft to assist local forces, particularly in the northwestern region of Sakiet Sidi Youssef.
“The flames are still present,” said Civil Protection Colonel-Major Seif Eddine Dekhlaoui. “We hope that in the coming hours, the situation gets better, with wind speeds dropping and flames reducing on all fronts.”
The surge in fires coincides with scorching summer temperatures, which surged between 40°C and 49°C—up to 14 degrees above seasonal averages. The extreme demand has forced authorities to implement daily scheduled power cuts to prevent the national electricity grid from collapsing.
Officials noted that an unusually wet winter left dense vegetation behind, which dried out during the heatwave and created ideal conditions for fires to spread rapidly.
Tunisia’s forestry department reported that approximately 4,400 hectares of forestland burnt between May 1 and July 23—a sharp rise compared to 2,705 hectares during the same period last year. Authorities have attributed the outbreaks to a combination of intense heat, human negligence, and deliberate arson.
Add Comment