Skopje, 19 July 2024 (MIA) — Several wildfires across the country are spreading over inaccessible terrain, while a dozen have been brought under control and are being monitored, according to the Crisis Management Center in its latest report based on information from regional crisis management centers in Ohrid, Veles, Bitola, Kumanovo, Skopje, Shtip, and Strumica. 

The fire in the village of Slatina near Makedonski Brod has been localized, with no danger of its spreading. Two firefighters remain on the ground to monitor the situation.

The oak forest fire above the village of Devich near Makedonski Brod has also been brought under control. Two firefighters and four woodsmen are monitoring the situation.

Farther east, the fire near the village of Gabrovnik has been localized while the fire near the village of Mokreni is still active. Thirty army members, 16 National Forests employees, several Chashka municipality staff and four firefighters with one fire truck from the Veles Fire Department are battling the blazes. Also, at the request of the Chashka mayor, two helicopters were deployed to help extinguish the fire, one of which is Slovenian.

The Goleshnica mountain fire at Lisec peak has reactivated between the villages of Upper Jabolchishte and Drenovo. The fire is burning through a high, inaccessible terrain and it cannot be tackled from the ground because of dense vegetation and tall trees.

The wildfire outside the village of Sirkovo near Rosoman is about 90 percent extinguished but there are two active hot spots: above the village of Sirkovo, where the fire is rapidly spreading, and near Mrzen Oraovec village. Twenty firefighters with two firetrucks from the Kavadarci Fire Department and 15 locals as well as staff from the local water utility with two water tanker trucks are fighting the fire. A helicopter dropped water on the fire earlier in the day as well. The Rosoman mayor said he was expecting 13 special police to join the firefighting efforts.

Tackling the raging fire near the Kavadarci village of Farish are four local firefighters with two firetrucks and three water utility employees with a water tanker truck.

The wildfires in the Negotino area, near the village of Kalanjevo and the Krivolak army training ground toward Shtip, have been brought under control. Potential hot spots are being monitored.

The fire near the Bitola village of Smolevo that spread overnight toward the village of Bukovo through a dense pine forest has been localized with the help of a Croatian Canadair and two Protection and Rescue Directorate helicopters. There are still hot spots being extinguished by 23 Bitola firefighters with four fire trucks, joined by 17 employees of the local water utility company.

A brushfire is still burning also near the village of Slepche and the village of Gostirazhni, but it is under control by 10 firefighters with two fire trucks and one water tanker truck. 

A brushfire near the village of Nebregovo in Dolneni has spread toward the village of Prisad. Twelve firefighters with two off-road vehicles and one water tanker truck have been tackling the fire. They are joined by three National Forests staff and help has been requested from the CMC to send helicopters.

The Kriva Palanka Fire Department has sent two firefighters and one fire truck to extinguish the brushfire in the village of Dobrovnica.

In Studenichani near Skopje, near Aldinci, a fire has spread over inaccessible terrain and at the moment there is no information of firefighters sent to put it out.

Going southwest, the fire that broke out above the villages of Selce and Dragoevo has begun to spread toward the village of Puhche. Helicopters have dropped water on the fire but the inaccessibility of the terrain is making it impossible for firefighters to tackle the fire on the ground.

Large plumes of smoke have been reported above the village of Dragoevo and the Shtip Fire Department has dispatched its firefighters to intervene. 

The Delchevo landfill is still burning, but the fire has been localized and monitored by local firefighters as a precautionary measure.

The Strumica village of Badelen wilfire has reignited toward the village of Stinik although a Romanian plane dropped water on it. Three firefighters and five police officers with three firefighting vehicles are battling the blazes on the ground.

The fire at Konche is not active but all inhabitants have been evacuated.

The fire near the village of Shturovo near Radovish has been put out. Five firefighters and 15 troops are monitoring the burned area.

The fire that broke out earlier in the day at Sermenin near Gevgelija is being extinguished by five firefighters with two fire trucks, according to the CMC report. mr/