TUNIS: At least 900 fires broke out in Tunisia over a 72-hour period, a senior official told AFP on Friday, as the country grapples with an intense heatwave.
Civil protection official Khalil Mechri said most of the blazes recorded between July 20 and 22 had been extinguished, though two major ones were still raging.
“These are not only forest fires but also brushland, crops, houses,” he said, without offering details on the areas affected.
Their outbreak has coincided with exceptional heat.
Temperatures on Tuesday ranged between 40C and 49C depending on the region, exceeding seasonal averages by eight to 14 degrees, according to the National Institute of Meteorology.
