Summary:

Throughout the night of Tuesday, 19 July 2022 and into the morning of Wednesday, 20 July 2022, Tunisian civil defense and military forces, alongside Algerian military aircraft, battled a large forest fire on Mount Boukornine. A large mushroom cloud of smoke was visible from downtown Tunis as the fire spread around the base of the distinct mountain that dominates the landscape of the capital city’s southern suburbs. By the afternoon of 20 July 2022, the fire was largely under control, though some blazes continued to burn in the area.

Analysis:  

Forest and crop fires have been a regular occurrence since June of this year, with instances across the governates of Nabeul, Bizerte, and Beja in recent weeks. While the cause of a particular fire is rarely determined or announced, many Tunisians attribute the cause to poor waste disposal practices, particularly of glass and cigarettes. Hot, dry weather will likely continue to drive this trend into the summer.