Rabat – Moroccan authorities continued, on Thursday, for the second day in a row, to extinguish the fires in the Charchara forest near the city of Taza in the east of the country.
Yesterday, Wednesday, fires broke out in this forest, coinciding with the rise in temperatures.
The regional director of the National Agency for Water and Forests in Taza (governmental), Murad Al-Saafdi, said that “the fire had swept through 25 hectares (a hectare is equivalent to 10,000 square meters) by 08:00 (GMT).
Al-Saafdi added in a statement to Anadolu Agency: “The authorities have not yet begun to use Canadair (amphibious) aircraft to extinguish the fires, while residents of areas near the forest have been evacuated.”
He continued: “We face difficult terrain and strong winds, which hinder the intervention process.”
He added: “The fire has not resulted in any loss of life so far, but it has destroyed large areas of Aleppo pine trees, green oak trees, and secondary plant formations.”
On Sunday, the Moroccan Meteorological Department warned of a heat wave reaching 46 degrees Celsius in a number of regions of the Kingdom, expecting it to continue until Wednesday.
Last May, the Moroccan Agency for Water and Forests (governmental) expected an increase in the risk of forest fires during the summer of this year, due to the drought that has been hitting the country for the sixth consecutive year, and the continuation of high heat waves throughout the country.
Anatolia
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2024-07-26 01:06:07