Wildfire management policies in Algeria: present and future needs

Abstract

Algerian forest lands cover 4,115,908 hectares (ha), of which 2,413,090 (58%) ha are bush or maquis. Recent work has shown that forest fires are the main factor explaining (90%) degradation of Algeria forest lands at an annual rate of 45,000 to 50,000 ha. From 1985 to 2010 in 40 provinces of northern Algeria, 42,555 forest fires have burned a total of 910,640 ha. On average, 1,636 fires burn 35,024 ha of forest lands annually. The 1985 to 2010 period saw a general increasing trend in annual fire frequency for the area. As in the entire Mediterranean basin, forest fires in Algeria are mostly human-caused, whether by negligence or voluntary. Unfortunately, the majority of fires are of unknown origin (80%), making it difficult to establish an appropriate preventive approach. The current forest fire prevention strategy in Algeria is based on the principle of "minimum damage", reflecting the technical limits of and lack of firefighting resource capability for protecting the entire forest lands from wildfires. Within the constraints of the existing wildfire management programs, it is necessary to improve the alert system, communication, and to intensify preventive silviculture in highrisk areas to reduce forest vulnerability to fire. Similarly, developing wildfire risk maps and providing adequate maintenance to existing infrastructure would help improve the organizational response to the wildfire season, potentially leading to better prevention programs and more efficient wildfire management programs in Algeria.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the fourth international symposium on fire economics, planning, and policy: climate change and wildfires

Citation

Meddour-Sahar, Ouahiba; González-Cabán, Armando; Meddour, Rachid; Derridj, Arezki. 2013. Wildfire management policies in Algeria: present and future needs. In: González-Cabán, Armando, tech. coord. Proceedings of the fourth international symposium on fire economics, planning, and policy: climate change and wildfires. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-245 (English). Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station: 382-395.