An amount of more than 4.5 million dirhams was allocated, between 2011 and 2012, to forest fire protection in the Chtouka Aït Baha province, a press release from the province indicated on Wednesday.

Citing a report from the provincial directorate of water and forests, presented recently during a meeting of the provincial and technical committee (CTP), the press release notes that this amount was essentially used for the construction and development of nearly 32 km of roads to facilitate access to forests, the acquisition of equipped vehicles and other logistical machinery, and the recruitment of agents.

According to this report, dedicated to the presentation of measures planned for fire fighting as the summer period approaches, the province has experienced a total of 41 fires over the last three years which have ravaged 846 ha of forest cover, notably the argan forest which covers 116,000 ha.

The report emphasised the importance of further strengthening preventive measures through the mobilisation of water points in the forest area, the extension of access networks particularly in difficult areas, and the mobilisation of the necessary equipment and machinery.