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Deadly Algerian wildfires spark disaster declarations and call for death penalty

President Tebboune designated Jijel a disaster zone and called to end a 1993 execution moratorium for arsonists as responders battle widespread forest fires.

Updated Sep 3, 2026 · 11:19 UTC2 reports

The short version

  • Deadly wildfires have swept across Algerian provinces from the center to the far east, devastating forests, homes, and livestock, with Jijel suffering the worst destruction.
  • President Abdelmadjid Tebboune declared three days of national mourning, labeled Jijel a disaster zone, and announced aid to rebuild homes and restore schools.
  • Tebboune announced the lifting of a 1993 moratorium on capital punishment to pursue the death penalty for arsonists, drawing support from allied and Islamist parties and condemnation from human rights groups.
  • The full death toll remains disputed, with official state figures reporting 12 fatalities while local emergency responders warn the true total is in the hundreds.

Key facts

  • Algerian Civil Protection units and army squadrons were deployed across multiple provinces, including Sétif, Guelma, and Jijel, where 1,200 square kilometers of forest were incinerated.[Associated Press · ABC News]
  • The Algerian Interior Ministry initially reported an official death toll of 12 in the Jijel region.[Associated Press · ABC News]
  • A veteran Civil Protection lieutenant stated that hundreds of people have died in the fires, amid social media footage showing mass graves and long rows of coffins.[Associated Press · ABC News]
  • President Tebboune declared three days of mourning, promised state compensation to rebuild residences, and ordered school repairs prioritized ahead of the planned September 21 start date.[Associated Press · ABC News]
  • Tebboune announced the end of Algeria's moratorium on the death penalty, in place since 1993, declaring that individuals found guilty of arson will face capital punishment.[Associated Press · ABC News]
  • Democratic opposition parties and human rights groups condemned the proposed return of executions, while pro-government and Islamist factions supported the measure.[Associated Press · ABC News]

What remains uncertain

  • The precise number of fatalities remains unverified due to the stark discrepancy between the official state toll of 12 and reports by first responders indicating hundreds of casualties.[Associated Press · ABC News]
  • The exact origin of the blazes is still under investigation, with the government citing climate-driven conditions while simultaneously probing suspected criminal arson.[Associated Press · ABC News]

Sources