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Algerian Wildfires Kill 42 People as Severe Drought in Chile Threatens Crops and Water Supply

HeadlineAug 11, 2021

In Algeria, at least 42 people have been killed as wildfires blaze through several rural areas, burning homes and forests to the ground. At least 25 soldiers who battled the inferno are among the dead. The Interior Ministry suggested arson was to blame for dozens of active fires in the country, as some survivors condemned the government for failing to respond to the unfolding disaster.

Hamid: “As you see, there are fires everywhere. We have not seen the government here. We do not have a state. The people are the government. Long live the members of the civil protection teams.”

Record-breaking wildfires continue to rage across the globe, from Greece to Siberia to the western United States. Meanwhile, Chile says its climate-fueled, record-breaking, decade-long drought is causing devastation to agriculture and water levels. Chile recently approved a measure to limit private control of water supplies and enshrine access to water as a human right.

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