Ahmad Bentaher and Tarek Chouiref
12 July 2026•Update: 12 July 2026
Moroccan authorities continued Saturday to contain a wildfire that swept through the Afous oasis in the southeastern province of Errachidia, damaging a vast area of palm groves but causing no casualties.
A local official told Anadolu on condition of anonymity, because he was not authorized to address the media, that firefighting crews were still working to bring the blaze under control.
The fire broke out Friday, but the extent of the affected area has yet to be determined, he added.
The operation comes as Morocco remains on high alert for wildfires amid soaring temperatures.
On July 5, authorities urged residents near forests in 12 provinces to exercise caution through July 12 after the National Agency for Water and Forests issued extreme wildfire warnings.
The agency said the highest risk level, marked in red, covered forests in 12 of the country’s 75 provinces.
Morocco operates an early warning system that assesses wildfire risks based on weather conditions and vegetation cover. A red alert indicates an extreme risk of fires, while orange signals a high risk requiring heightened precautions.
Wildfires burned 1,728 hectares (4,270 acres) of forest across Morocco in 2025, with grasses and seasonal vegetation accounting for 45% of the affected area.
The warnings coincide with a heat wave forecast by the national meteorological authority, with temperatures expected to reach 46 °C (114.8 °F) in some areas.
