(MENAFN) Fire crews in northern Morocco battled relentlessly on Sunday to contain a major wildfire that erupted days earlier in the Bouhachem forest, located in the mountainous Chefchaouen province.

The blaze ignited on Thursday amid intense heat, according to a representative from Morocco’s National Agency for Waters and Forests, who spoke in statements quoted by local outlets. The fire has since consumed approximately 180 hectares of land.

There have been no reports of casualties at this time.

As of 2024, Moroccan authorities have recorded 382 wildfires nationwide, resulting in the loss of roughly 874 hectares of forest. Despite the current emergency, this represents an 82% drop in damage compared to the same period in 2023.

Forests make up around 12% of Morocco’s land area, with wildfires posing a recurring threat each year, driven by both climatic extremes and human factors.

MENAFN25082025000045017169ID1109971229