Severe Wildfires Devastate Moroccan Regions
Recent wildfires that have swept through several regions of Morocco over the past week have caused destruction to approximately 628 hectares, according to the latest official data released on Sunday evening. The area affected grew by around thirty hectares over the weekend as firefighting teams continued their efforts to fully control the remaining hotspots. The most significant fires were reported in the provinces of Taroudant, Béni Mellal, and Azilal, with over a thousand responders and eight Canadair aircraft deployed to combat the flames.
Firefighting Efforts and Impact Assessment
In Taroudant, the Salmimt fire, which broke out in the Ounaine municipality, has been completely contained at a 100% control rate. The damage from this fire is estimated to cover approximately 403 hectares, according to Samir Tberkant, head of the forest fire service at the National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF). The fire, which ignited last Wednesday, necessitated extensive human and material mobilization. While the fire is now fully contained, teams remain on-site to monitor the area and ensure complete extinguishment to prevent any flare-ups.
At least 567 responders participated in the operations, comprising personnel from the National Agency for Water and Forests, the Royal Gendarmerie, the Royal Armed Forces, Auxiliary Forces, and Civil Protection, along with contributions from local residents. In the Azilal province, efforts continue to permanently extinguish the fire in the Infrak forest, located within the Afourer municipality. According to the latest reports, all primary fire fronts have been contained, with the overall fire suppression achieved at approximately 75%.
The updated assessment shows an increase in the area affected by wildfires, rising from 598 hectares to 628 hectares. The three major fires recorded last week—Salmimt in Ounaine (Taroudant), Baantar in El Ksiba (Béni Mellal), which was controlled on Saturday, and Infrak in Afourer (Azilal)—have collectively ravaged around 628 hectares, up from the previously reported 598 hectares. The scale of these wildfires necessitated an exceptional response, with 1,182 personnel mobilized to combat the three main blazes by the end of last week.
To detail further, 567 responders were engaged in fighting the Ounaine fire, with operations extending to Ijoukak in Al Haouz province. Approximately 365 individuals participated in combating the El Ksiba fire in Béni Mellal province, while the number of responders in Afourer rose from 250 to 300. Aerial operations involved eight Canadair aircraft: four tackling the Béni Mellal fire, two for the Taroudant fire, and two for the Azilal fire. After a week of intense firefighting efforts, the situation has significantly improved, with several fires now contained or largely controlled. Nevertheless, vigilance remains crucial in affected areas to prevent any resurgence of the flames, as the provisional toll from these major wildfires now approaches 628 hectares of devastated forest cover.
As reported by fr.hespress.com.
