Fires destroy over 1,500 hectares of Tunisia’s forests in 2019

More than 1,500 hectares of forests have been destroyed in 190 fire incidents in 2019 as of August 9, according to Tunisia’s Director General of Forests, Salem Triki.

This figure represents a rise from 2018, when fewer than 1,000 hectares were burnt, due to natural or human causes. In 2017, the figure stood at 17,000 hectares.

Despite the increase in burnt forestry area 2019, Triki noted that the number of forest fires had decreased in recent years due to a preventive plan implemented by the forest department.

Tunisia’s forest area is more than 6 million hectares and this includes green spaces which shelter about 10 percent of the nation’s population.