Raging Forest fires erupt in Algeria's northeast
Pastor Dale Morgan
Raging Forest fires erupt in Algeria's northeast
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ALGIERS, Aug 7 (AFP) Aug 07, 2008
Nineteen forest fires broke out Thursday in northeastern Algeria, the
emergency services said, although there were no immediate reports of
casualties.
Two of the six fires reported Thursday morning around the coastal city
of Annaba, 600 kilometres (370 miles) east of the capital Algiers were
still raging late in the day.
Emergency services deployed "significant resources" to prevent the
flames from spreading to residential areas.
Thirteen forest fires meanwhile broke out in El Tarf province, near the
border with Tunisia, affecting nine communities.
Some 1,630 hectares (4,000 acres) of forest and 660 hectares of
scrubland and undergrowth caught fire in Algeria in June and July, the
emergency services said.
That was well down from the 5,306 hectares of forest and 3,488 hectares
of scrubland and undergrowth during the same period in 2007.