Forest fires killed 12 people and injured dozens in northeastern Algeria on Wednesday, according to the interior minister and civil protection authorities. The deaths occurred in Jijel, Bejaia and Tizi Ouzou provinces. Wildfires are common in northern Algeria during the summer, and climate change has increased the frequency of droughts and extreme heat that fuel the blazes. More than 30 people were killed in July 2023 when fires burned thousands of hectares and hundreds of homes around Bejaia, and authorities recorded nearly 2,000 fires nationwide in July this year. The latest incident involved 69 separate fires being fought by firefighters as of 8:00 pm local time. Five people died in Jijel province, four in Bejaia and three in Tizi Ouzou, the interior minister Said Sayoud said. A hospital in Bejaia treated 54 burn victims, including six in serious condition. An eight-year-old boy and a 22-year-old woman were among those killed in Bejaia, a local radio station reported. Evacuations were ordered for many residents in Bejaia and Jijel, and three major national highways were closed due to fire proximity near Bejaia, Jijel and Setif, according to the gendarmerie. Strong winds have fanned the flames, prompting the civil protection agency to deploy additional resources. Authorities continue to battle the blazes while investigations into the causes of the fires proceed, and officials have indicated that arrests related to suspected arson may follow.