Deadly Forest Fires in Northern Morocco Claim 4 Lives, Force Evacuations

According to local authorities, these two deceased women are among those "who did not want to respond to the local authorities’ calls for the imperative to evacuate the homes threatened by the fires". The day before, the authorities had announced that a volunteer who was fighting the flames alongside the intervention teams had died in Taounate (north). Another victim of the flames had been recorded in the province of Larache.

In addition to the deaths, thousands of hectares of forest have been devastated by the flames. As a precautionary measure, the authorities had to evacuate 536 families spread over 11 villages. No rest for the firefighting services who, assisted by four water bombers and fire engine tankers, are striving to control several fire outbreaks that have destroyed at least 30 hectares of forest in the Larache region, south of Tangier.

Since the beginning of July, more than 10,500 hectares, mainly of forest massifs, have been ravaged by the flames in Larache, Ouezzane, Tetouan, Chefchaouen, Taza and Al Hoceima.