Tunisia is grappling with its most destructive wildfire season in recent history, with more than 14,000 hectares of forest land ravaged by flames between June 1 and August 30, according to official civil protection data released this week.
Citing figures reported by private radio station, Khalil Meshri, head of operations and follow-up at the Civil Protection Department, confirmed that emergency responders tackled a staggering 13,463 individual blazes over the three-month scorching period. Of these, 239 were classified as major infernos erupting deep within the country’s critical wooded areas.
Meshri noted that the sheer frequency of simultaneous outbreaks across multiple governorates severely stretched national response capacities, compelling authorities to execute a massive, wide-scale deployment of both personnel and heavy equipment to curb the rapidly advancing fronts.
The mountainous region of Mount Bargou, located in the southeastern reaches of Siliana Province, emerged as one of the epicenters of the environmental crisis. While ground crews had managed to subdue 95% of the active fire there by late August, volatile weather conditions—marked by sudden thunderstorms and fierce wind gusts—dramatically rekindled the embers, driving the flames into treacherous, steep ravines that were difficult for ground crews to access.
Authorities ultimately regained full control of the Bargou blaze through a concerted joint effort involving intensive ground operations and strategic aerial water-bombing sorties executed by the Tunisian Air Force.
Despite the catastrophic environmental toll and extensive material destruction, civil defense officials offered a sliver of relief, confirming that no fatalities or serious injuries have been reported in connection with the ongoing crisis.
TunisianMonitorNews
