France offers assistance to Algeria amid deadly wildfires

French government spokesperson Maud Brégeon confirmed Paris's full availability to help Algiers, stating that President Emmanuel Macron expressed France's support during a Council of Ministers meeting on Monday, August 31. This offer of solidarity comes as relations between the two nations are strategically warming, despite past diplomatic complexities. Algeria has declared a three-day national mourning period, suspending cultural events and sports competitions in homage to the victims.

In response to the fires, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has ordered a revision of the penal code by September 15, which will include the death penalty for intentional arsonists, ending a previous moratorium. This decision follows investigations by security services confirming the criminal and simultaneous nature of several fire outbreaks, leading to arrests. The Algerian state has also committed to fully compensating residents for all material, agricultural, and real estate losses, with commissions deployed to assess damages before the social season begins.