Fight Against Forest Fire: Morocco Ranks First in Mediterranean Basin, Official

M’diq, 10/05/2017 (MAP) – Morocco ranks currently first in terms of mechanisms set up to fight forest fire, whether north or south of the Mediterranean basin, said, on Wednesday in M’diq, high-commissioner for waters, forests and fight against desertification Abdeladim Lhafi.

Morocco is the country with least forest fire-caused damage given that it posts less than 0.05% of forest surface area destroyed by fire, which is the lowest rate in the region, Lhafi told the press, on the sidelines of the launch of field exercises to test the forest fire command system via a simulation in the Kodiat Taifour forest.

Though the number of forest fires increased over the past 10 years, the surface of destroyed areas decreased tremendously, he said, noting that the Mediterranean average is 16 hectares per forest fire, while it is 4.5 hectares in Morocco.

All indicators are good, but we should remain alert, he warned, explaining that the next summer season will be very hot at the level of natural resources and “we are getting ready to react in the best conditions.”