Morocco continues to battle forest fire amid heatwave

By Ahmad Bentaher

RABAT, Morrocco (AA) – Moroccan authorities continued their efforts on Friday to combat a forest fire that erupted in the Shershera Forest in the eastern part of the country.

The blaze has been burning for three consecutive days.

The fire broke out near the city of Taza on Wednesday, coinciding with a heatwave affecting the nation.

According to Murad Al-Saafadi, the regional director of the Moroccan Water and Forestry Agency in Taza, the fire has consumed 40 hectares (100,000 square meters) of the Shershera Forest as of 1200GMT on Friday.

“Fortunately, there have been no casualties reported so far, as residents from nearby areas were promptly evacuated,” Al-Saafadi told Anadolu.

“All efforts are being made to extinguish the fire,” Al-Saafadi added, expressing hope that firefighting operations will be completed by Friday evening.

The Moroccan Meteorological Directorate issued a warning for extreme heat, with temperatures expected to reach up to 46 degrees Celsius (115 degrees Fahrenheit) in several regions across the kingdom. This intense weather is projected to continue for several days.

In May, the Moroccan Water and Forestry Agency had already warned of an increased risk of forest fires during the summer due to the country’s sixth consecutive year of drought and ongoing high temperatures nationwide.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio