Moroccan firefighters and soldiers are trying Thursday to control at least four fires that are advancing in forested regions in the north of the country, said Fouad Assali, director of the Forest Climate Risk Management Center (CRCF).
Several douars had to be evacuated of their inhabitants and four army Canadair water pumps were operating Thursday afternoon over flame-ridden areas near Ksar El Kebir.
A small town destroyed
In the sweltering heat, surprised by how fast the fire is advancing, villagers hurriedly leave their homes, bringing cattle and horses with them when they can.
A small village in the Ksar El Kebir region was destroyed by the flames. “Efforts continue in the hope of controlling these fires in the next few hours,” Fouad Assali was quoted as saying by the MAP news agency.
A thousand hectares of forest have been devastated since Wednesday night in the provinces of Larache and Ouezzane, according to a provisional assessment. Hundreds of troops from Civil Protection, Water and Forests, Royal Armed Forces (FAR) and Gendarmerie, assisted by local authorities, participate in the fight against the fire.
Morocco has been suffering from a heat wave for several days, with temperatures close to 45 degrees, in a context of extraordinary drought and water stress.
Across the Strait of Gibraltar, fires are raging across southern Europe, from Portugal to Greece, passing through Spain and France.
Source: BFM TV
