Fire situation in Albania

Published: Friday, 16 August 2024 12:49

 

Fire situation in Albania, August 16, 2024 at 10.30 am

In the past 24 hours, 29 fires have been reported across various regions of the country. Of these, 15 have been extinguished or brought under control, while 14 remain active but are being closely monitored.

The most challenging fires are currently in remote, mountainous areas, including forests and pastures far from populated centers, such as Mount Tomorr, the Mali i Thatë area in Prespa, the Bolotek mountains, and Mount Tërnova in Bulqiza.

A total of 320 firefighting personnel, 238 military forces, 250 local government civil emergency workers, 120 personnel from the Protected Areas administration, 187 Forestry Service staff, and 130 volunteers are actively working to contain and fully extinguish the fires.

The Air Force and firefighting aircraft are on full standby. Today, local and central operational structures remain focused on extinguishing and isolating the active fires, with continued aerial support from the Romanian team.

We commend the increased efforts by the State Police in identifying and prosecuting those responsible for starting the fires. We call on the justice system to strictly enforce the law against all individuals involved in these criminal acts that endanger lives, property, the environment, and cultural heritage.

We urge all citizens, especially farmers, to act responsibly in these high-temperature conditions and adhere to legal procedures regarding fire usage. Many fires in residential areas are caused by the irresponsible handling of fires by farmers, aside from criminal cases, which are under investigation by judicial authorities.

The Ministry of Defense, the National Civil Defense Agency, and all related civil defense institutions will continue to monitor the situation closely and will mobilize all necessary resources at both national and international levels as needed.