Skopje, 8 August 2024 (MIA) - Of a total of 40 wildfires reported in the country on Wednesday, 25 have been extinguished, while six contained. Nine of them are still active, of which the largest one is burning on the territory of Makedonski Brod municipality, head of the Crisis Management Center (CMC) Stojanche Angelov said in a video statement on Thursday. 

"The number of fires that engulf the territory of Macedonia every day is alarming. Yesterday we had as many as 40 outdoor fires. Some of them are smaller, some are larger, and we also have a monster of a fire burning. But I have to point out yet again that even the smallest fires can turn into large forest fires in an instant and threaten a settlement or endanger the lives of people several kilometres away. That's why I appeal to all citizens to be extremely careful, so as not to cause an outdoor fire," said Angelov, noting that resources are being used up, and firefighters are running out of strength.

The most difficult fire they have been facing for 20 days is the fire raging on the territory of Makedonski Brod municipality. 

"We are fighting this fire again today with many resources, including a Hungarian helicopter. There are also 40 members of the Hungarian fire brigade with special vehicles, who have already made a fire belt to protect the weekend houses on the shore of Lake Kozjak. We also have local firefighters and 26 members of the Macedonian police," says Angelov.

The second fire that has been burning for days, Angelov adds, is the fire on Ilinska Mountain, which has now moved towards the territory of Demir Hisar municipality. Four local firefighters with the support of ten National Forests employees were fighting it today. It is active in the area near the village of Brezhani, Municipality of Ohrid, and 20 members of the National Forests are also fighting the blazes on that side. Low vegetation and low-stemmed forest is affected, and in some places pine forest is also burning.

"It is typical of this fire that on several occasions we used aeroplanes, air tractors, we also used helicopters, but a strong smoke rises which reduces the visibility, making it difficult to manoeuvre the aeroplanes. That's why I appeal to the municipal authorities to do their best to increase activities there and bring under control this outdoor fire, which has been raging for days," Angelov said. 

The third fire is active on the territory of Chaska municipality, in the villages of Papradishte and Orashche, where two air tractors from Cyprus were operating this morning. These are air tractors that arrived yesterday, and as of today they have already been put into operation. Ten National Forests employees, as well as five employees of the municipality, are fighting the fire on the ground. 

The fourth fire is the fire that broke out yesterday on the territory of Petrovec municipality, and moved towards Gradmanci and Divlje, causing significant unrest among the locals and those staying in the weekend houses above Katlanovska Banja. The two air tractors of the Protection and Rescue Directorate, as well as the two German air tractors are fighting this blaze. Also on the ground are members of the firefighting brigade of the City of Skopje, employees of National Forests and the Protection and Rescue Directorate. Low vegetation is burning.

The fire on the territory of Studenichani municipality towards the villages of Drachevica and Crvena Voda is also still active, where employees of the National Forests participate in efforts to extinguish it. Mixed vegetation is burning.

The sixth fire is burning on the territory of Kichevo municipality, near the village of Chelopeci, which yesterday started moving towards several military facilities, which is why, according to the CMC head, a larger air force was sent to fight it, i.e. several helicopters - one army helicopter, several foreign helicopters, as well as air tractors.

"Today we are operating there with two air tractors from Germany, local firefighters, as well as members of the Macedonian army a larger number of them. This fire started from a waste dump and then spread to the surrounding low vegetation," Angelov notes. 

The seventh fire is burning on the territory of Debar municipality near the village of Kosovrasti, where the terrain is extremely steep, moving towards the village of Rajchica, Rejlevci. Two air tractors of the Protection and Rescue Directorate fought this fire today, and local firefighters, 12 employees of the National Forests, as well as four local residents are on the ground. According to Anegelov, it is a large forest fire burning in difficult-to-access terrain.

"The eighth fire is burning on the territory of Ohrid, on Galichica Mountain, it is the fire that entered our side from the Albanian side yesterday, then we brought it under control, we extinguished it, but it has reignited. A police helicopter, local firefighters, National Forests employees, volunteers, and rangers from the National Park are fighting the blazes on the ground today. The Albanian side is also fighting this fire. Low vegetation and grass is burning," said Angelov. 

The ninth active fire is burning on the territory of Makedonski Brod, near the village of Slatine. Part of the firefighters from Makedonski Brod, who are 12 in total, were diverted to extinguish this fire, which, Angelov notes, weakened their numbers in the large fire burning towards Jasen and the weekend houses at Lake Kozjak. This smaller fire is being extinguished by National Forests employees and locals. Low vegetation is burning.

The six fires that have been brought under control, but which can get out of control at any moment,, Angelov warns, are on the territory near Gevgelija, near the village of Negorci, Kichevo, near the village of Zajas, Kochani, Makedonski Brod, near the village Slatina, Plasnica municipality near the village of Plasnica, where smouldering hotspots are still present towards the village of Latovo, and the landfill of Delchevo, which is still showing signs of smoke.

A total of 25 fires were extinguished on Wednesday, of which a total of 11 on the territory of the City of Skopje, and two are still active.

On Wednesday, fires were also extinguished near Prilep, Dojran, Bogdanci, two near Gostivar, in Berovo, Brvenica, Radovish, Debar, Kumanovo, Kriva Palanka, three fires in Struga and another one near Delchevo. The number of fires is alarming.

"Currently, one helicopter from Hungary, two air tractors from Germany, as well as two air tractors from Cyprus are operating on the territory of the country. Early in the morning, the Serbian helicopter left, which was of great help to us, but due to the increasing number of outdoor fires, it had to return to Serbia. In addition, we have a team of 46 people from Hungary on the ground, which is completely focused on the large fire near Makedonski Brod, i.e. over Lake Kozjak. I appeal to citizens to report any suspicious behaviour to the number 122, especially if they witness a person who started or unintentionally caused an outdoor fire," Angelov said in the video statement. 

Photo: Print Screen / MIA archive