Skopje, 13 August 2025 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and the head of the Protection and Rescue Directorate, Stojanche Angelov, visited Wednesday the Jasen hunting ground where, for several days now, Protection and Rescue Directorate staff and members of the Interior Ministry and Defense Ministry’s special units have been battling the blaze at the hunting ground.

Mickoski, according to a press release by the Government, said the situation is under control and efforts to extinguish the wildfire are continuing. 

“I can say that it is partially under control, although there are still significant flames in the background, aircraft have been engaged, with air tractors and helicopters battling the blazes. I hope that this fire will be brought fully under control very soon. I must mention that yesterday, across the territory of Macedonia, we had around 34 active fires, of which 33 have been extinguished. Today, the rest of the territory is completely under control, with no active fires, although the situation changes from minute to minute,” Mickoski said.

The Prime Minister thanked everyone who is “fairly successfully” tackling the blazes. 

“Considering the situation in the Balkans, and considering the unfortunate loss of human lives in some Balkan countries, such as Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Türkiye, and neighboring Bulgaria. I hope the wildfires will soon end, I urge for responsible behavior when moving through forests, even though such movement is prohibited. According to eyewitnesses, this particular blaze was caused by a lightning strike, based on what we’ve heard here. I want to reassure the citizens that the situation is under control and everything is as it should be at this moment, although the battle against the blaze here at the Jasen hunting ground continues. Immense gratitude goes to all the brave individuals battling this blaze and working to bring it fully under control,” the Prime Minister stressed. 

Photo: Government