Pehchevo, 4 August 2021 (MIA) – Firefighting efforts have saved St. Petka monastery from being engulfed in flames as the town of Pehchevo in eastern North Macedonia is being gripped by a wildfire in the past 10 hours. The situation is under control at the moment and efforts to battle the blazes continue after ten firefighting vehicles were dispatched there from Bulgaria. “Fortunately, the monastery was saved as the fire was extinguished on time. It’s not too late for the assistance from Bulgaria. In addition to firefighters and local volunteers, an army helicopter joined the efforts to put out the flames,” a local resident stated. The damage caused by the fire is disastrous, he said, adding that pine forest has been gravely affected. Also, firefighters continue to battle another wildfire near a village in the region of Delchevo in the eastern part of the country, who have been joined by one firefighting vehicle sent from Bulgaria. Ten wildfires are active across the country, the Crisis Management Center reported earlier.