Intersectoral Panel Launched for Forest Housing Safety Law
President Tebboune has mandated the development of a specific new legal framework to govern construction and housing in forest areas and their surroundings. This initiative follows the deadly fires that affected several wilayas during the summer, aiming to better protect populations exposed to fire risks while also preserving ecological balance. An intersectoral commission was officially installed in Algiers to elaborate and validate the provisions of this new framework, marking a concrete step in the government's proactive response to environmental challenges.
The Minister of Housing, Urban Planning, and the City, Mohamed Tarek Belaribi, presided over the commission's installation. This action is a direct continuation of President Tebboune's instructions issued during an August 30 working meeting focused on addressing the aftermath of the fires. Subsequently, the dossier was also the subject of a meeting led by Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb, who emphasized the importance of mobilizing all relevant expertise from various ministries, including Housing, Interior, Agriculture, and Higher Education, alongside university specialists. The Prime Minister called for a participatory approach to ensure a comprehensive and integrated legal and regulatory framework.
The future law seeks to better regulate urbanization in areas highly vulnerable to forest fires. Experts will examine several critical aspects, including the definition of safety perimeters around homes, the creation of firewall zones, and the specification of construction materials—particularly for roofs, facades, and openings—to reduce their vulnerability to high temperatures and embers. Furthermore, the framework will address the development of access roads to facilitate emergency vehicle circulation and resident evacuation, as well as ensuring adequate water access for firefighting through dedicated points and reserves. Provisions may also include land occupation rules based on risk mapping, which could reinforce construction conditions, regulate building density, or even prohibit construction in particularly high-risk sectors.
The technical commission has been given a maximum of twenty days to finalize its report, which will then be submitted to the inter-ministerial commission for validation. Beyond merely regulating construction, this comprehensive undertaking is designed to integrate housing in forest environments into a broader logic of prevention, ensuring the safety of populations, and safeguarding the environment for the long term.
