By Ahmad Bentaher and Ahmed Asmar
RABAT, Morocco/ Moroccan authorities continued firefighting operations Friday for a fifth consecutive day to contain wildfires raging in the Houara forest near Tangier, northern Kingdom, as high temperatures and strong winds hampered efforts.
Osman El-Azzaoui, the regional director of the National Agency of Water and Forests in Tangier, told Anadolu the blaze has consumed 85 hectares (850,000 square meters) since erupting Monday.
"Despite ongoing flames, the affected area hasn't expanded in the past 24 hours," he said, noting teams are now focused on extinguishing reignited hotspots.
Morocco allocated $17 million in May to boost wildfire preparedness for 2025.
Officials announced May 16 the allocation of approximately $17 million to strengthen forest fire response efforts for the summer of 2025.
The National Agency of Water and Forests in Tangier Director-General Abdelrahim Houmi said 382 forest fires had been recorded in 2024, marking an 82% decrease compared to 2023.
Forests cover about 12% of Morocco’s territory and are exposed to annual wildfires, with their intensity varying depending on climate conditions and human activity.