Key points
- The fire first erupted on Thursday in Bouhachem forest
- No casualties have so far been reported
- Morocco recorded 382 wildfires in 2024
ISLAMABAD: Moroccan firefighters continued efforts to extinguish a raging forest fire in the northern Chefchaouen province.
An official from Morocco’s National Agency for Waters and Forests said in press statements cited by Turkish media that the fire first erupted on Thursday in the Bouhachem forest in the province amid soaring temperatures.
He said the blaze has burned an area of around 180 hectares of land.
Firefighting teams, supported by Canadair planes, continue to combat the blaze that has burned approximately 180 hectares since Thursday, in Bouhachem forest near Chefchaouen, in northern Morocco.#MoroccoWildfires #Bouhachem #Chefchaouen pic.twitter.com/FGPUAEnjt2
— Barlaman Today (@BarlamanToday) August 23, 2025
No casualties have so far been reported.
Ongoing challenges
Morocco recorded 382 wildfires in 2024, which destroyed about 874 hectares of forest, according to Morocco World News. This represents an 82 per cent decrease compared to 2023 figures.
#Morocco seems to answer #Spain and Portugal’s smoky exports with a plume of its own, now curling over the Alboran Sea. Beyond the irony, this shows how #climate-driven #wildfires easily breach borders—smoke has become a truly global traveler, with no passport required.🌬🔥🌍🧳 pic.twitter.com/biz9YxCvxn
— Worldview Earth Data 🌍🌱 (@WED_explorer) August 21, 2025
Forests cover roughly 12 per cent of Morocco’s territory. The country faces fires of varying intensity each year due to rising global temperatures, persistent drought, and human error.
The recent fires in Chefchaouen reflect the ongoing challenges authorities face in protecting the country’s forest resources during fire season, which are mainly exacerbated by climate change, the report said.
