Skopje, 1 August 2024 (MIA) – A total of 28 wildfires were registered on Wednesday. The largest wildfires are burning near Staro Nagorichane, Kratovo, Makedonski Brod, and Sveti Nikole. Additional aid is expected through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, including six helicopters and four air tractors. Meanwhile, the government says it is handling the fires well, while the opposition makes accusations of a collapse. Head of the Crisis Management Center (CMC), Stojanche Angelov, says the situation is serious, urging civilians not to take part in extinguishing fires unless they are accepted by the local firefighting department commanders.  

According to the CMC head Angelov, 28 wildfires were registered on Wednesday. 

"The number has dropped significantly, it has been halved. Currently, ten are active. This means that we have extinguished 18, i.e. several of them have been completely contained. The situation is serious because of these ten, about half are burning in high-quality forest, and at least two are burning in pine forest," Angelov said in an interview with Sitel TV on Wednesday. 

As regards the international aid provided through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, Angelov said six helicopters and four air tractors are arriving on Thursday, or possibly Friday, including two helicopters from Serbia, two from Hungary, one from Slovenia and one from the Czech Republic, as well as four air tractors, two from Germany and two from Sweden.

In a video statement on Wednesday, Angelov also urged locals not to gather and battle the blazes on their own. 

"As a country, we have enough army members and police," he said. "If the local authorities in charge of extinguishing the fires – the mayors – ask for it, we can send as many army or police as they ask for." 

"Civilians cannot help everywhere," he continued. "On the contrary, they can get in the way of the professionals, the firefighters, the army, the police, the National Forests staff, the volunteer firefighters or even the aircraft themselves." 

"Civilians can help in defending settlements when a fire threatens a village or, as in last night's case, when there was a minor possibility the fire could reach the town of Pehchevo," Angelov said, adding: "Civilians should not take part in extinguishing fires unless they are accepted by the local firefighting department commanders."

At a CMC steering committee session held earlier on Wednesday, Angelov said, a decision was made to propose to the government to ask for NATO assistance.

According to Angelov, currently the largest wildfires are burning near Staro Nagorichane, the Municipality of Kratovo, Makedonski Brod and Sveti Nikole. 

The large wildfire that broke out above the village of Negrevo in Pehchevo on Tuesday has been contained. The efforts to extinguish the fire lasted for almost two days, with the wildfire threatening to engulf the town of Pehchevo on Thursday.

Mickoski: Highest number of wildfires on record, some started due to lack of caution, others intentional 

Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski on Wednesday said the fires are at a historical high. Citing information from the Interior Ministry, he noted there are suspicions that the fires are largely due to a lack of caution, while some might have been intentionally ignited. He pointed out that there are enough firefighters and enough members of the Army and the Interior Ministry to deal with the fires. 

"We have enough firefighters and enough members of the Army and the Interior Ministry to deal with the fires, even though they are at a historical high. Only yesterday we had 66 active wildfires, we managed to successfully put out 40 of them. Considering the temperatures ahead, we will continue to fight these challenges in August as well. I don’t expect major changes," the PM said on Wednesday.

Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski said Wednesday the Ministry of Interior (MoI) will take severe measures against anyone who deliberately sets fires and threatens the safety and the lives of the citizens.

"In these difficult times when we are faced with disastrous fires, I once again urge all citizens to act conscientiously and responsibly, to avoid activities that can cause fires and to report suspicious activities. In addition, I want to stress that the Ministry of Interior will take severe measures against anyone who deliberately sets fires and threatens the safety and the lives of our citizens," Toshkovski posted on Facebook. 

He also shared a post from the Ministry of Interior about the arrest of a man from Radovish on suspicion of starting wildfires.

Minister Toshkovski's post came after accusations from SDSM that the situation with the wildfires across the country is alarming and concerning, and that Mickoski's Government and the institutions under its jurisdiction are failing in dealing with the blazes.

Photo: MIA archive