Bogdanci, 4 August 2023 (MIA) - The wildfire near Bogdanci, which broke out around 11 am on Thursday in the Brdarov Kamen area next to the Dojran Lake pumping station, is still not contained. 

Firefighting efforts were continued early on Friday morning. Around sixty people are battling the blazes, which so far destroyed 500 hectares of heathland, also passing by windmills over Bogdanci without causing any damage.

Crisis Management Center (CMC) director Stojanche Angelov said wildfire smoke has spread across several places, and firefighting teams from Gevgelija, Valandovo, Kavadarci and Shtip, alongside a team from the Protection and Rescue Directorate as well as National Forests employees and Bogdanci water utility company staff are battling the blazes on the ground. 

"If the wildfire flares up later in the day, three Air Tractor planes of the Protection and Rescue Directorate, as well as two police helicopters are available to be deployed," said Angelov. 

According to Bogdanci Mayor, Blazhe Shapov, there is currently no risk of further wildfire spread. 

"All hands are on deck as firefighting efforts continue to contain and extinguish the fire. For now, everything is going according to the plan agreed at last night's coordination. If the fire does not rekindle in a few hours, we will manage to contain and extinguish it," Shapov told MIA.

According to him, the fire broke out on Thursday in an area of low-growing shrubs and grasses and spread quickly. He is suspecting that human-related events have ignited the fire. 

Photo: Printscreen CMC