Algeria wildfires force evacuations in Jijel

Algerian civil protection authorities said Wednesday that several families had been evacuated in the northeastern province of Jijel as wildfires threatened residential areas.

The rescue body said there were 37 active blazes nationwide, including five in Jijel. It did not say how many people had been evacuated or displaced because of the fires.

Videos circulating on social media showed residents sheltering inside a building as thick smoke filled the air.

Algeria has faced wildfires during the summer. Authorities said at least six people were killed in several provinces last month.

Northern Algeria is hit by forest fires every summer, a phenomenon exacerbated by drought and climate change. Dozens of people have been killed in recent years, and thousands of hectares of forest and farmland, as well as many homes, have been destroyed.