Local authorities, Civil Protection units, and specialized aerial teams have successfully stabilized a massive forest fire that broke out on Wednesday, July 15, in the mountainous commune of Ounaine, located within the Taroudant province.
The blaze spread rapidly across the rugged High Atlas terrain, fueled by high summer temperatures and fierce winds.
Because of the steep and isolated nature of the Ounaine commune, the firefighting trucks were blocked from accessing the heart of the fire.
In response, emergency services launched a dual-force strategy. Ground crews, consisting of Civil Protection, the Royal Gendarmerie, Auxiliary Forces, the National Agency for Water and Forests, and residents, who worked on foot through Wednesday and Thursday night to create protective buffer zones and protect nearby residential areas.
At the same time, the Royal Air Force deployed two Canadair water-bombing aircraft. The planes provided crucial aerial support, they carried out non-stop runs over the mountain ridges, targeting remote zones that ground crews couldn’t possibly reach on foot.
By Friday morning, July 17, regional forestry officials confirmed a highly positive turnaround. Hicham Zahidi, the Regional Director of Water and Forests for Souss-Massa, stated while speaking to Hespress that “the situation this morning shows a significant and noticeable improvement. Things are generally stable now, and tasks are currently being distributed among the various field teams to ensure total and final control over the entire affected area.”
Emergency teams remain stationed on high alert at the site to monitor remaining hot spots and prevent any sudden flare-ups caused by shifting winds.
Although official assessments are still mapping the total burned area, Zahidi described the damage to the forest cover as “moderate.” Fortunately, zero civilian casualties or residential damage was reported. “We do not have precise data at the moment due to the difficult geography, but a detailed survey will be conducted later,” he added.
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