At least 12 people were killed as wildfires swept through three provinces in northeastern Algeria, Interior Minister Said Sayoud said Wednesday evening.
The deaths included five in Jijel province, four in Bejaia and three in Tizi Ouzou, Sayoud said during a visit to Bejaia, about 270 km east of the capital Algiers.
Following instructions from President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Sayoud visited Bejaia with Health Minister Mohamed Seddik Ait Messaouden to monitor firefighting efforts and check on injured people.
Civil Protection authorities said 159 vegetation fires had been reported in several provinces by 8 p.m. Wednesday (1900 GMT). Of them, 90 had been brought under control, while 69 were still burning.
Bejaia had the highest number of active fires at 18, followed by Skikda with 13, Tizi Ouzou with 12 and Jijel with seven.
Several families were evacuated as a precaution after the fires came close to residential areas.
Algeria has faced repeated wildfires in recent months, with more than 20 people killed and large areas of forests, farmland and homes destroyed.