Wildfires “largely extinguished” as Algeria holds second day of mourning

Algerian emergency services said on Friday that the deadly blazes in the worst-hit province of Tizi Ouzou were “largely extinguished.”

Algeria is holding the second day of national mourning for the 71 people confirmed dead in the deadliest wildfires to hit the Mediterranean this summer by far.

Fire crews remain on high alert in Tizi Ouzou province after first reporting that “all the forest fires that broke out in Tizi Ouzou were extinguished this morning” to later report five new fires in the province.

Some 35 fires raged across 11 northern provinces, the emergency services said and a total of 76 of the more than 100 fires that had broken out since Monday were now under control.

The Mediterranean has been experiencing a regional heatwave, which created high winds, fueling the spread of the flames.

Meteorologists expect the regional heatwave to continue until the end of the week, after temperatures in Algeria reached 50°C.