Emergency services and local authorities are continuing efforts to contain a series of wildfires that have been burning across several communes in Taroudant province for nearly a week.
Supported by aerial firefighting resources and local residents, crews remain deployed in the communes of Ouneine, Talmakante and Zagmouzen, where steep terrain continues to complicate operations. According to authorities, the fires have been brought under control to varying degrees, with containment ranging from 50% to 100% depending on the location.
As flames approached residential areas, concern spread through nearby villages.
Mohamed Idouhmane, a resident of the village of Ighrem in the commune of Ouneine, described the community’s immediate response.
“As soon as the fire broke out, residents rushed to the scene to try to slow its advance, driven by the need to protect their families, their homes and their main source of livelihood.”
He said nights remained especially difficult because of strong winds and highly flammable vegetation but praised the rapid response of provincial and local authorities, the Civil Protection service, the Auxiliary Forces, the Royal Gendarmerie and the National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF).
The wildfire has caused extensive damage to the Salmime forest in Ouneine, destroying hundreds of hectares of woodland and medicinal plants while threatening several nearby villages, including Tizgui, Ighrem, Achdir, Afla Noufra and Aït Ihya.
Omar Ouzalt, treasurer of the Ouneine Forest Development Federation, said one of the biggest challenges has been the isolation of the affected areas.
“The absence of passable tracks prevented firefighting vehicles from reaching the site. To overcome this obstacle, residents used donkeys and mules to transport water as close as possible to Civil Protection teams,” he said.
Three Major Fire Outbreaks
Amine Gourirane, an engineer and head of the forest management and wildfire unit at ANEF’s provincial office in Taroudant, said three major wildfires have broken out in the province over the past week.
In Ouneine, nearly 430 hectares have burned. Canadair aircraft, supported by teams from ANEF, Civil Protection, the Auxiliary Forces, the Royal Gendarmerie and local authorities, have been deployed to contain the blaze.
Authorities say the fire is now 80% contained, although crews remain on site to extinguish isolated hotspots within the burned area.
In Talmakante, the fire spread across 3.16 hectares before being fully contained.
In Zagmouzen, around 6 hectares have been affected. Authorities say the fire is 50% contained and its perimeter has been secured. Full extinguishment is expected if weather conditions remain favorable.
Heat, Wind and Rugged Terrain Hamper Firefighting
Firefighters continue to face difficult conditions, including high temperatures, strong winds, mountainous terrain and limited access to affected areas.
The composition of the forest, dominated by pine trees, red juniper, prickly juniper and holm oak, combined with exceptionally dry vegetation, has also accelerated the spread of the flames.
Authorities have renewed their call for vigilance, urging the public to act responsibly and report any signs of fire or smoke immediately to help prevent new outbreaks.
