![An aerial view of the smoke rises from a house as teams partially controlled the wildfires in Boumerdes, Algeria on July 24, 2023 [Fazil Abd Erahim/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/AA-20230725-31760613-31760606-FOREST_FIRES_KILL_34_IN_ALGERIA-scaled-e1690288749119.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&quality=85&strip=all&zoom=1&ssl=1)
Tunisian authorities in the north-western state of Jendouba have evacuated all the residents of the Meloula border area with Algeria as civil defence teams continue efforts to extinguish wildfires there, Anadolu news agency reported.
The Tunisian Civil Defence authorities said in a statement yesterday that the fires in Meloula Tabarka on the border with Algeria have expanded greatly due to the strong winds. This has meant residents must be evacuated onboard the Naval Guard boats as well as private boats.
Last week, the Tunisian Civil Protection announced that its teams are working to extinguish a fire that broke out in the Meloula forests and destroyed eight hectares of land.
Summer fires due to high temperatures are the biggest threat to vegetation and agriculture in Tunisia. Since 5 July, Tunisia has been witnessing a heat wave, with temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius in some governorates.
READ: Forest fires kill 15 in Algeria
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