Moroccan soldiers, firefighters battle fires in the north

Rabat, July 16 (BNA) Firefighters and the army struggled on Friday to contain three wildfires in northern Morocco that killed at least one person, while hundreds of residents evacuated their homes due to the fires that swept through vast areas of pine forests.

Efforts to put out the fires have been hampered by high temperatures and high winds in the North African country. The Home Office says one person has died in the fires, and more than 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres) of forest have been destroyed, the Associated Press reported.

In the Larache district, 1,100 families had to evacuate due to two fires that have since been put out. The fire destroyed 900 hectares (more than 2,000 acres) of land and damaged many homes, according to the Home Office.

Firefighters are still trying to put out fires in several regions of northern Morocco, including Tetouan, Taza and Ouzan. The Interior Ministry said they were using trucks, bulldozers and water-dumping planes.

Morocco has been in the grip of a heat wave for a week, with the temperature rising to over 40°C (104°F). Strong winds are forecast in the coming days, complicating fire containment efforts, according to the National Weather Service.

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