On Saturday, Moroccan authorities successfully extinguished forest fires that erupted in the regions of Tetouan (in the north) and Taroudant (in the central part of the country), which consumed approximately 12 hectares of forest cover without causing any human casualties. A representative from the National Agency for Water and Forests (a government body) reported to Anadolu Agency that the fires broke out on Friday, but intervention teams managed to bring them under control and extinguish them.
The official, who requested anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media, noted that the authorities utilized amphibious aircraft of the 'Canadair' model, in addition to an 'EC225' helicopter, to assist in the firefighting efforts. It was detailed that the Taroudant forest fire affected around 8 hectares of forest area, while the Tetouan fire consumed roughly 4 hectares.
Earlier, Moroccan authorities announced on Tuesday that the total number of forest fires recorded in the country since the beginning of the year until July 20 had reached 310. According to a statement from the agency, these fires have devastated an estimated area of 1850 hectares of forest cover.
Morocco employs an early warning system to assess the risks of forest fires, overseen by the National Agency for Water and Forests, which issues periodic reports based on climatic conditions and the status of vegetation cover. The red level indicates the highest danger of potential fire outbreaks, while the orange level signifies a high risk, necessitating enhanced preventive measures and the avoidance of activities that could spark flames.
This alert coincided with a warning issued by the General Directorate of Meteorology, which cautioned of an intense heatwave that could see temperatures soar to 46 degrees Celsius in some regions.
As reported by aa.com.tr.
