34 people have been killed in wildfires sweeping throughout Algeria, including 10 troops who were battling the blazes in the face of strong winds and sweltering summer temperatures, government agencies reported on Monday. The Interior Ministry claimed that at least 1,500 individuals were evacuated without going into any detail. The Interior Ministry reported 24 injuries and 15 fatalities. Additionally, the Defence Ministry subsequently reported that 25 troops were hurt while battling flames at the tourist destination of Beni Ksila, east of the capital Algiers. Although the fires had been blazing for many days, it wasn't immediately apparent when the casualties occurred. 97 flames in the North African country were started by wildfires that went across woods and agricultural areas in 16 regions, some of which were fanned by high winds.
The Interior Ministry reported that the largest and deadliest flames tore through areas of Bejaia and Jijel in the Kabyle region east of Algiers and Bouira, roughly 100 km southeast of Algiers. Around 7,500 firemen and 350 vehicles were used in the suppression efforts, in addition to air support. Wildfires in the summer are nothing new in Algeria. In August of last year, flames that erupted close to Algeria's northern border with Tunisia claimed the lives of at least 37 people. Authorities said that scores of people were murdered in flames a year prior, including soldiers sent in to assist in putting out the blazes in the hilly Kabyle area, which is peppered with settlements. This summer, ferocious flames have been fueled by strong winds and recurrent heat waves in Greece and other parts of the Mediterranean.
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