RABAT, July 26, 2022 (BSS/AFP) - One volunteer firefighter has been killed
and another injured in a forest fire in northern Morocco, where new blazes
have broken out after a few days of calm, according to local authorities.

The two victims were helping Monday in operations to extinguish a fire in
Tanouate province near Fez and Meknes, local sources told AFP.

The injured volunteer was hospitalised but his life was not in danger.

Firefighting services were working overnight to control the blaze after
ensuring the safety of villagers, authorities added.

About 33 hectares (82 acres) of forest have been destroyed in the region.

Several outbreaks of varying magnitude have resumed in recent hours in
northern Morocco, particularly in Larache province, which was recently
devastated by forest fires that left one dead.

The Moroccan government on Friday released emergency aid of nearly 30 million
euros ($31 million) to help victims of forest fires and reduce their impact
on agricultural activity and the environment.

Forest fires destroyed more than 10,500 hectares in the north of the kingdom
in mid-July.

Morocco, which is experiencing severe drought, has been hit by heatwaves over
the past month.

Scientists say human-induced climate change is amplifying extreme weather,
with global warming leading to increased risks of heatwaves, drought and
forest fires.