Morocco issues extreme wildfire warnings in 6 provinces

Morocco on Friday issued extreme wildfire warnings for six provinces, urging residents near forests to exercise caution until Tuesday.

The National Agency for Water and Forests issued red alerts for Fahs-Anjra, Tangier-Assilah, Taounate, Taza, Essaouira and Taroudant, indicating an extreme risk of fires breaking out.

The agency urged residents near forests, as well as workers, vacationers and visitors, to take precautions and avoid activities that could ignite fires.

Another 24 provinces were placed under orange alerts, indicating a high risk of forest fires.

The agency urged people to immediately inform local authorities if they notice smoke or suspicious behavior.

Morocco uses an early warning system managed by the National Agency for Water and Forests to assess forest fire risks based on weather conditions and vegetation cover.

Authorities previously announced that 310 forest fires had been recorded from the start of the year through July 20, burning an estimated 4,570 acres (1,850 hectares).