New Draft Law Addresses Forest Fire Prevention and Property Protection

Mohamed Tarek Belaribi, Algeria's Minister of Housing, Urban Planning, the City and Land Development, chaired a coordination meeting on 17 October 2026 at the ministry's headquarters. The gathering included members of a multi-sectoral committee responsible for drafting a bill that will establish planning and construction regulations in forest areas. The primary objective of this legislative effort is to prevent fire hazards and ensure the safety of both people and property.

This legislative project was initiated in response to instructions issued by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. The President's directives came during a working meeting held on 30 August 2026, following a series of fires that affected several eastern and central provinces of the country earlier in August.

During the meeting, attendees received a presentation detailing the main measures and themes proposed in the preliminary draft of the law. The draft specifically seeks to define technical rules and specifications to be observed in buildings situated within or near forest areas. Additionally, it outlines planning rules pertinent to the interface zones where residential areas meet forest environments, according to information from the Ministry of Housing. (Reporting by Omar Tadrist.)