Skopje, 31 July 2023 (MIA) — For the first time in years, the state's three firefighting aircraft are in good condition and ready to fight wildfires, according to Crisis Management Center director Stojanche Angelov and Protection and Rescue Directorate head Bekim Maksuti at a press conference Monday.

Thanks to the cooperation of the CMC and the PRD with the Ministry of Interior and the Army, Angelov said, also available were two police helicopters as well as two military helicopters. Some of them could carry up to three tons of water, he noted.

"We also have excellent cooperation with the local self-government units and territorial firefighting departments," Angelov said, pointing out that this helped them coordinate their efforts to fight forest fires, especially when working together with National Forests firefighters.

Maksuti, asked if sensor mechanisms could be used to extinguish fires, following the example of Germany and several other countries, said that a cross-border project with Albania was being developed in addition to the sensors and cameras already placed in Jablanica National Park.

"We are entering the second, final phase of this project. They [the sensors] are active. They are giving exceptional results," Maksuti said.

Angelov said the country's early fire detection system was good and fires were being detected relatively early.

In emergencies, he said, local self-governments were enlisting the help of public enterprises, institutions, services, volunteers as well as PRD staff together with CMC rapid response teams.

"Eventually, if all this is not enough to deal with the emergency, we ask outside help," Angelov said, adding that in 2021 the country had activated the European Union's Civil Protection Mechanism. mr/