‘Criminals’ behind 70 raging fires across Morocco

Forest fire in one of Tetouan, Morocco Over 70 forest fires are raging across Morocco after a number of suspects intentionally started the blazes in several locations across the north of the country, according to Morocco’s interior ministry. Moroccan Interior Minister Mohand Laenser said the fires were now under control. “We have mobilized all air, human and material means needed to get this fire under control,” Laenser said.
The interior minister said security forces have been thoroughly investigating the fires in order to find the culprits.  Some suspects have been detained but police believe more were involved in the incidents, the first of which broke out on July 17.  One of the forests affected was the Dar al-Shawi forest in the northern city of Tangier.  The scenic forest, popular with summer campers, spans over 140 hectares.  It was only brought under control on July 22, after raging for days.
Laenser said:  \"Our initial investigations show that the fires were started by criminals,”
Since the start of this year, there have been 158 fires across Morocco, which have destroyed 469 Hectares of forest.
Mohamed Andiche, the director of the department for fighting desertification and saving the nature at the Higher Commissioner of Forests and Water, said there has been little increase in the fire rates this year compared to last year.  “There has been a decrease in the size of the affected area compared to registered rates in same period.”
Andiche stated that limiting the fare depended on early warnings and quick intervention, which the firefighting department was capable of incorporating, \"summer makes it easier for such fires to break out, so the forest commissioner this year doubled the country\'s firefighting capacity,\" he said.