Algerian Radio
The National Forest Protection Commission for the year 2026, tasked with strengthening the forest fire prevention and firefighting system, was installed on Saturday in Algiers.
The installation ceremony, chaired by the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, Mr. Yacine El-Mahdi Oualid, took place at the headquarters of the General Directorate of Forests (DGF), in the presence of its Director General, Mr. Djamel Touahria.
In a speech delivered on this occasion, Mr. Oualid highlighted the magnitude of the challenge the country faces in this area, classified among major risks, noting that the phenomenon of forest fires, which is closely linked to human behavior, is intensifying with climate change.
The adoption of a new strategy based on a proactive and participatory approach among the various concerned sectors has made it possible, over the last two years, to significantly improve the efficiency of the prevention and intervention system, resulting in an unprecedented drop in affected areas in 2024 and 2025, the Minister explained.
The total burned area in 2025 is estimated at 5,289 hectares (including 932 hectares outside the forest fire prevention and firefighting campaign), representing a 90% decrease compared to the average recorded over the last decade, which was estimated at 40,000 hectares, according to figures presented by Mr. Oualid.
These results reflect "the full mobilization of State institutions, in accordance with the directives of the country's highest authorities, who have paid special attention to the protection of forest heritage," through the deployment of all necessary human and material resources. They also reveal "the cohesion, synergy, and coordination between the People's National Army (ANP), security services, Civil Protection, the DGF, and various ministerial departments," he said.
However, current climate challenges dictate a shift towards "a modern approach based on digitization and modernization in the context of forest fire risk management," he continued.
In this framework, he affirmed that the State is working on developing an integrated system relying on the broader use of drones to detect fire outbreaks, the utilization of satellite imagery in collaboration with the Algerian Space Agency (ASAL) to accurately assess damages, and the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to analyze risks, guide interventions, and develop early warning systems based on climate data. This includes creating national digital databases for information exchange among various sectors.
In this context, he insisted on the need to unify the scientific and operational methodologies for assessing losses caused by fires by adopting standardized approaches that combine field observations, satellite data, and digital analysis, to guarantee the accuracy of statistics and the reliability of assessments.
On this occasion, the Minister called for compliance with a set of measures relating to the protection of forest heritage. These notably include the formation of an operational sectoral committee tasked with monitoring the implementation of the commission's recommendations—particularly during the forest fire prevention and firefighting season—improving intersectoral coordination, and involving citizens, civil society, and populations living in or near forests in prevention and early warning efforts.
He also emphasized the importance of raising farmers' awareness about the need to insure their agricultural property and strengthening cooperation with ASAL in data analysis and the development of a unified assessment methodology. This includes exploring the possibility of using the Algerian satellite "Alcomsat-1" for communication coverage in certain areas, in addition to supporting scientific research and studies on forest fires, and enhancing the contribution of startups operating in the field of modern technologies.
Concluding his speech, the Minister announced that this year's forest fire prevention and firefighting campaign will be officially launched on May 1st.
During the meeting, the DGF presented a review of the fires recorded in 2025 and the proposed plan for the 2026 forest fire prevention and firefighting campaign.
Representatives of the General Directorate of Civil Protection and the National Gendarmerie also delivered presentations on the roles assumed by these bodies in preventing forest fires, the measures taken to prepare for the current year's firefighting campaign, and the efforts deployed to raise awareness about the importance of preserving the nation's forest heritage.
