Moroccan firefighters battled relentlessly on Sunday to contain a ferocious blaze tearing through Bouhachem forest in northern Chefchaouen province. The flames, which erupted Thursday amid soaring summer temperatures, have already scorched nearly 180 hectares of lush woodland, officials confirmed.
Despite the fire’s destructive advance, authorities reported no casualties, offering a rare glimmer of relief in the unfolding environmental crisis. Morocco’s National Agency for Waters and Forests said local teams remain deployed on the ground, striving to halt the fire’s spread.
The country has recorded 382 wildfires in 2024 alone, consuming nearly 874 hectares, an 82% decline from last year’s devastation. Officials highlight that Morocco’s forests cover roughly 12% of the national territory, a fragile expanse exposed to annual seasonal threats.
Wildfires here are often fuelled by heatwaves and human activity, with varying intensity, yet each leaves scars etched across the land. For the residents of Chefchaouen, the smoke and advancing flames stand as haunting reminders of nature’s fury and man’s vulnerability.
