A major fire broke out in the Bouguerba forest in the town of Taza. The authorities sent 3 Canadairs to help control the flames which threaten the inhabitants. Several residents were evacuated to hospital because of the threat posed by the fires.
The fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon in the town of Taza, near the Bouguerba forest, not far from the homes of villagers but also residents of the town, prompting them to flee. Several people were burned, said sources on site, explaining that they went to the municipality before being transferred to care units.
The burn victims were received at the Ibn Baja Regional Hospital Center, according to several witnesses on the spot. The fires have also caused local wildlife to flee, and wild boars have been spotted fleeing towards the highway.
The town of Taza is nestled at an altitude of over 500 meters and the Bougerba forest frames the town. It represents approximately 185 hectares, and is also located not far from the Tazekka National Park.
The forest fire spread at high speed according to witnesses on the spot, who noted several outbreaks. Local authorities were deployed in large numbers to control the fire which would have affected several hectares of the Bougerba forest.
At 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, the flames were still bright and the number of homes was increasing due to the winds. More than 430 people have been mobilized since Wednesday to try to control the fire.
Elements of civil protection, auxiliary forces, the royal gendarmerie, local authorities, water and forests, as well as elements of the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces, were all mobilized to put out the fire.
Thursday morning, the efforts of the men on the ground continued to put out the flames and Canadairs were also deployed to come to their aid. At least 3 Canadairs were seen by townspeople heading towards the scene of the fire.
The planes filled with water made several round trips between the burned area and the nearby dams, sources in the local authorities of Settat told MoroccoLatestNews FR.
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