Firefighters continued battling a wildfire for a fourth consecutive day on Saturday after flames broke out in the Slimimt forest in the commune of Ounain, in Taroudant province near the border with Al Haouz.
As in previous days, the operation mobilized civil protection teams, forestry officials and local authorities, while residents of nearby villages joined efforts to contain the blaze.
Sources at the scene told Hespress that the fire had not yet been fully extinguished due to strong winds, which continued to spread the flames through the forest. Authorities, however, managed to bring the fire under control on the side administratively attached to Al Haouz province.
Canadair water bombers carried out several aerial missions earlier this week, helping slow the advance of the fire and allowing ground teams to intensify their operations.
Radouane El Maghrani, president of the Ounain commune, said the fire initially broke out in the Slimimt forest before spreading to wooded areas within the jurisdiction of Ijoukak in Al Haouz province.
“The firefighting operation has made significant progress, but strong winds at higher altitudes have complicated efforts,” El Maghrani told Hespress.
He explained that, although aerial interventions had initially reduced the size of the fire, powerful gusts reignited smoldering embers trapped in large, dense tree trunks, making it difficult to fully contain the blaze.
El Maghrani added that firefighting efforts were reinforced on Saturday by strong participation from local residents, particularly those living in nearby villages. He also highlighted the continued presence of local authorities and the various public services involved in the operation.
“Efforts are still underway to extinguish the remaining hotspots, bring the fire fully under control and prevent it from reigniting,” he said.
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