2 days ago
Chefchaouen Remains on Edge as Forest Fires Resurface
Authorities in Chefchaouen province remain on edge after days of battling a massive fire that destroyed large areas of forest in Dardara and Bab Taza.
Although the flames were fully contained, new outbreaks appeared in different parts of the province's woodlands at the start of the week.
Fouad Assali, Director of Afforestation and Climate and Environmental Risk Management at the National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF), confirmed to SNRTNews that a fire broke out on Monday morning.
He said the blaze was swiftly brought under control through the efforts of emergency teams.
The earlier fire consumed more than 500 hectares of forest and forced the deployment of over 450 personnel, supported by four Canadair planes and four Turbo Trash aircraft.
Since then, military units, firefighters, and auxiliary forces have remained on the ground for six consecutive days. The hot 'chergui' winds are also major threats, which can often turn mere sparks into major blazes.
Investigations are still underway to uncover the causes of the fire, which left behind charred landscapes and displaced wildlife.
Read also: Authorities Fully Contain Chefchaouen Wildfire Despite Harsh Conditions
As Morocco faces successive heat waves, ANEF issued a special bulletin warning of high fire risks from August 17 to 20.
The bulletin places Chefchaouen, Fahs Anjra, Tangier-Asilah, M'diq-Fnideq, and Taza at the highest risk level.
Al Hoceima, Larache, Ouezzane, Tetouan, Ifrane, and Taounate provinces are also considered highly vulnerable, while several others, including Berkane, Nador, Oujda-Angad, Sefrou, Rabat, Beni Mellal, and Agadir Ida Outanane, face moderate risk.
The agency appealed to residents, forest workers, and summer visitors to act with caution, stressing that any careless behavior could ignite disaster.
It urged citizens to alert authorities immediately in the event of smoke or suspicious activity. Tags: ANEFChefchaouenForest FireMoroccoWildfires
