Morocco Deploys Canadair Aircraft to Combat Forest Fire in Chefchaouen Mountains

The Water and Forests services, the firefighters and the Auxiliary Forces were mobilized for this operation. Due to the difficulties of land access to the area, the authorities had to resort to three Canadair aircraft from the Royal Air Force (RAF), reports Hespress, relaying the explanations of the provincial director of Water and Forests and the fight against desertification in Chefchaouen, Rachid El Aânzi.

The firefighters, who benefited from the assistance of the agents of the various authorities and local residents, did not have an easy task, given that the roads were bumpy and also due to the strong winds that contributed to the spread of the fire. Until now, the fire has destroyed a large part of the forest, or more than 16 hectares.

To recall, a fire broke out in late August 2019 in the Achacha-Tassift forest in the province of Chefchaouen and ravaged about 470 hectares of vegetation, half of which was located in the Talassemtane park and was composed of maritime pines, Aleppo pines, junipers and holm oaks, and the other half was made up of secondary grasses.

Associative activists in the Chefchaouen region had warned of the danger looming over the forest area of the region, the site points out.