Bejaia, Algeria—High winds driven by seasonal heat waves pushed aggressive forest fires through coastal mountain brush Tuesday, destroying agricultural homesteads and forcing emergency evacuations across several elevated hamlets.
Five forest service firefighters suffered severe smoke inhalation and thermal burns when shifting wind gusts trapped their all-terrain engine unit inside a dense pine valley during early containment operations.
Local authorities dispatched water-drop aircraft and secondary ground crews to battle three active fire fronts threatening isolated olive orchards and livestock farms along the ridge line.
Civil protection directors reported that rapid flame expansion burned through power lines and isolated three mountain communities before emergency tractors could cut perimeter firebreaks through dense brush.
"The combination of steep topographical gradients and sudden gale-force winds made front-line containment operations extremely dangerous for ground personnel," said forestry division inspector Yassine Mansouri during a press update.
Evacuated residents gathered at emergency shelters established in regional schools down the mountain while civil defense trucks hauled water tanks into active burn zones.
Environmental officials noted that prolonged seasonal drought conditions left mountain vegetation highly combustible, creating ideal conditions for rapid wildfire propagation across hard-to-reach terrain.
Medical teams stabilized the injured firefighters at a regional hospital, reporting that two responders remain under observation for upper respiratory injuries sustained during rescue efforts.
Emergency crews maintained overnight watch lines along surrounding ridges to prevent lingering embers from sparking fresh fires near populated agricultural zones.
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