Moroccan fire services, backed by additional reinforcements, continue to fight fires that have ravaged remote forest areas in the north of the kingdom for four days, local authorities told AFP.
In the Larache region, where a large fire was discovered and a person died, about 4,660 hectares were damaged, about half of which were engulfed in flames. According to local sources, 1,325 families from 19 villages have been evacuated so far.
Since Friday, additional reinforcements from the army and firefighters have been deployed, especially in Ksar el-Kebir, one of the most vulnerable and inaccessible areas.
Hundreds of hectares of forest land have been destroyed in the neighboring provinces of Ouezzan, Tetouan and Taza. The fire was caused by very high temperatures approaching 40 degrees and strong winds.
According to the authorities, the causes of these fires are still unknown, but the human factor is not ruled out. In an attempt to stop the fires from spreading, four Air Force Canaders and four more Turbodrozds are flying combat sorties, in parallel with the deployment of hundreds of water, forestry, civil protection, auxiliary forces, the Royal Armed Forces. Forces, National Recovery Agents and Volunteers.
For several days, Morocco is subject to heat waves with temperatures approaching 45 degrees Celsius, while the country experiences exceptional drought and water shortages. Across the Strait of Gibraltar, fires are blazing across southern Europe, from Portugal to Greece, through Spain and France.
