The death toll as wildfires sweep across regions of Algeria has risen to 34 people including 10 soldiers on Monday (July 24), the interior ministry said, as a heatwave spreads across north Africa and southern Europe.
Video uploaded on social media showed huge smoke billowing in the sky of Lakhdaria town in Northern Algeria.
Some 8,000 firefighters were battling to bring the flames under control, authorities said.
The interior ministry said that it is continuing its firefighting operations in the Boumerdes, Bouira, Tizi Ouzou, Jijel, Bejaia and Skikda regions.
About 1,500 people have been evacuated so far.
The authorities have launched a judicial investigation into the causes of the fires.
A major heatwave is sweeping across North Africa, with temperatures of 49 Celsius (120 Fahrenheit) recorded in some cities in neighboring Tunisia.
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