Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune called for the death penalty for intentional arsonists after a series of devastating forest fires killed at least 12 people and injured 54 others across the country’s northeastern provinces, according to state media reports published on September 1, 2026. The proposed legal shift targets blazes that authorities suspect were deliberately coordinated.
Algeria Pushes for Capital Punishment Amid Deadly Wildfires
President Tebboune ordered Algeria’s justice minister on Sunday to submit a proposal by September 15 to amend the penal code, according to state media. The change would allow capital punishment for anyone convicted of intentionally setting forest fires. Algeria currently maintains a moratorium on the death penalty that has been in place since 1993, despite retaining the punishment for several offenses in its penal code.
Deliberately starting forest fires currently carries a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, or life imprisonment in specific cases, according to government records. The push for harsher penalties follows a wave of blazes that led the nation to observe three days of national mourning for the 12 victims who died in the provinces of Jijel, Béjaïa, and Tizi Ouzou.
Investigating Coordinated Arson Suspicions
Provincial governors have received orders from President Tebboune to hand over all available information to security authorities to investigate whether the fires were set deliberately. “We saw videos and noticed that a number of fires broke out at the same time, at around 1am, which raises many questions,” Tebboune stated, according to state media.
Interior Minister Saïd Sayoud confirmed the localized death toll, reporting five fatalities in Jijel province, four in Béjaïa, and three in Tizi Ouzou. Out of 54 people receiving hospital treatment for burns, six remained in critical condition, Sayoud added. Meanwhile, the national gendarmerie reported that three major highways linking eastern regions were closed due to forest fires raging near Béjaïa, Jijel, and Sétif.
Emergency Response and Rebuilding Efforts
Algeria’s civil protection agency reported that 46 fires remained active out of 193 recorded over a 24-hour period. Unverified videos shared online depicted sweeping blazes trapping residents in their homes as emergency crews battled the terrain. While summer forest fires occur regularly in northern Algeria, more frequent droughts and extreme heat have added to their intensity, echoing a July 2023 disaster near Béjaïa that left more than 30 people dead.
In response to the devastation, President Tebboune ordered authorities on Monday to compensate affected families and establish committees to assess losses for damaged property. Officials received instructions to restore electricity, gas, water, and telecommunications in affected areas by Saturday at the latest, while housing authorities began arranging repairs to damaged homes with the goal of returning normal life to the region within a week.
Did you know? Although Algeria’s penal code retains capital punishment for several offenses, the country has observed a strict moratorium on carrying out executions since 1993, making the proposed amendment a significant departure from current judicial practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current penalty for starting forest fires in Algeria?
Deliberately starting forest fires currently carries up to 30 years in prison, or life imprisonment in certain cases, according to state media.
When is the proposed penal code amendment due?
President Tebboune ordered the justice minister to submit the proposal to amend the penal code by September 15.
Which provinces were hardest hit by the fires?
The provinces of Jijel, Béjaïa, and Tizi Ouzou recorded the highest casualties, including 12 deaths and 54 injuries, according to reports from the Interior Ministry.
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