At least 26 people – including a mother and daughter – have been killed in wildfires that have devastated 14 regions in northern Algeria.

Interior minister Kamel Beldjoud said 24 died in the El Tarf region, near the northern Algerian/Tunisian border.

Eight of the victims were on a public bus which encountered flames as it was driving in a mountainous region.

Two people also died in Setif. The civil protection agency said a 58-year-old mother and her 31-year-old daughter were killed in the city.

Mr Beldjoud said that of the 39 blazes in total, 16 were in El Tarf, and that more than 12 square miles (3,200 hectares) of forest had been ravaged by blazes since the start of August.

Local media reports said around 350 residents have been evacuated in affected areas as the flames reached homes.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said “all human and material resources” would be used to put an end to the wildfires and that the families of those who had died or whose homes were affected would “get compensation”.

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Firefighters and helicopters are still trying to contain several blazes threatening residents.

In mid-June, Algerian authorities rented a firefighting aircraft for three months from Russia.

Last year’s major wildfires killed 104 people, including 33 soldiers.

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