Dozens Killed in Algeria’s Fires and Large Solidarity Campaigns [Hashtag]

At least 28 Algerian soldiers and 42 civilians have been killed in wildfires to the east of the capital Algiers. Large solidarity campaigns have been raised on social media. Many Arabic and Berber hashtags have gone viral on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram along with the English ones #PrayForAlgeria #AlgeriaForestFires, #AlgeriaIsBurning. 

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has declared three days of national mourning for the victims.

Pictures on social media showed hillsides on fire, huge plumes of smoke and animals fleeing in terror.

Algerians emphasized through tweets that the country's precious wildlife is in flames, More than 100 fires across 18 provinces, 75 people lost their lives and animals are burning to death, people’s houses and only source of income are all gone.

Donation campaigns are also actively mobilizing national and international support. About 20.000 Euro was donated in one day and the number is increasing.

 

The Worst Fires in Algeria's History

Wildfires tearing through northern Algeria have now killed at least 69 people, including 28 soldiers deployed to help the firefighters.

The blazes in the mountainous Kabylie region are some of the worst in the country's history. Officials have blamed arson for many of them.

A total of 69 fires were burning on Wednesday, amid a heatwave sweeping across North Africa. The flames have been fanned by strong winds and tinder-dry conditions.

Many horrific stories told by the victims. One of the most touching sad incidents is the two sisters dying hugging their mother. Picture of the two sisters went in viral on social media networks

Trying to save his cattle, his most precious source of survival 

 

Arson Suspicions

Several people have been arrested on suspicion of starting fires, but officials gave no details.

Dozens of separate fires have raged through forest areas across northern Algeria since Monday night and Interior Minister Kamel Beldjoud accused arsonists of igniting the flames, without providing more details on the allegations.

"Only criminal hands can be behind the simultaneous outbreak of about 50 fires across several localities," he said.

“Ahed News English” Newspaper tweeted an article about the Government blaming forest fires on arson

 

Government Intervention

Emergency services have been overstretched and Algeria is nearing a deal with European partners to rent firefighting planes.

Speaking on state television on Tuesday night, Prime Minister Ayman Benabderrahmane said the death toll had risen to 42, including 25 members of the military. The government was in "advanced talks with (foreign) partners to hire planes and help speed up the process of extinguishing fires," he added.

Firefighters and the army were still trying to contain the blazes, and Beldjoud said the priority was to avoid more victims. He vowed to compensate those affected.

Yet, the twitter users consider the government actions as not enough. Mainly because they did not provide the aerial firefighting on time

They tweeted “No water or help from the government”

On Facebook, there have been calls for volunteer doctors to provide support. 

 

Climate Change

The fires come as the UN released a major report stating that the effects of climate change are even more severe than previously thought.

The report warned that increasingly severe weather patterns that can fuel wildfires, such as heatwaves and droughts, will become more common if action is not taken soon

The “1 million Activist Stories” Page tweeted that the Fires in Algeria are an effect of climate change. Emphasizing that the Increasing global temperatures are leading to frequent wildfires destroying property, vegetation and leading to loss of lives

The Geographer Katharina Gruneisl stressed that the fires are interconnected with the climate change risks. They may lead to declare the Mediterranean a 'climate change hotspot.'