On Monday, the Tunisian government set up a crisis unit to control wildfires that ravaged the northwestern province of Jendouba.
Related:
Saudi Arabia To Provide 500-Mln-Usd Aid to Tunisia’s Economy
According to a government official statement, Prime Minister Najla Bouden Romdhane made the decision on the instructions of President Kais Saied.
"The crisis unit aims to coordinate the efforts of all intervening parties to control the fires and protect citizens and their property," the statement said.
On Monday morning, Tunisian authorities evacuated residents from the Melloula village in the province after a wildfire broke out in the forests.
According to several reports, during the past four days, massive wildfires destroyed about 470 hectares of forests in the village, which is located in the coastal city of Tabarka.
Heatwaves baking Tunisia have brought temperatures approaching 50 degrees Celsius in several provinces, according to the National Institute of Meteorology.
Moreover, army units are deployed in Melloula to contain the fires & assist the local population, as the Air Force carried out 8 flyovers using military helicopters & C130 aircraft to extinguish the fires that broke out near Tabarka airport.