Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed the Kingdom's profound sorrow over the deaths and injuries caused by the outbreak of forest fires in Algeria.

The ministry affirmed Saudi Arabia's full solidarity with Algeria and its people in this affliction, expressing its sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the deceased, and its wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured.

Algeria's Ministry of Interior announced in a statement that 10 casualties were recorded among members of the national army, in addition to 9 civilian casualties, taking the death toll from forest fires to 34.

With temperatures hitting 48 degrees Celsius, the North African country recorded at least 97 fires across 16 provinces, fanned by strong winds, according to the ministry.

Some 1,500 people were evacuated from the worst-affected provinces of Bejaia, Bouira and Jijel east of the capital Algiers, according to the ministry.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Monday expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased.

The interior ministry said that 7,500 firefighters and 350 firetrucks were mobilized with aerial support to contain the flames.