Wildfires in Albania: Ministry of Defense reports active efforts to contain flames

On Sunday, the Ministry of Defense announced that out of the 11 wildfire hotspots identified across the country in the past 24 hours, seven have been extinguished while four remain active.

Context

During the past several years, amidst unprecedented summer temperatures, Albania has been hit with growing frequency by serious forest fires that have caused significant damage to its environment and properties. This increasing severity of the phenomenon has led to the adoption of a range of measures on the part of the Government, from severe sentences for those who voluntarily or involuntarily cause wildfires, to investment in better monitoring and intervention capabilities.

According to data from the National Operational Center for Civil Emergencies, efforts continue to extinguish the fires in the village of Kakodhiq in the Delvinë municipality, in the south, where scorching high temperatures and wind have caused the flames to spread towards the villages of Derviçan and Goranxi in Lower Dropull.

To assist local operational structures in extinguishing the fire, members of the Armed Forces have joined the efforts. Work also continues to contain the fire near the Lurë lakes, in the northeast, in an effort that has required the support of 50 Armed Forces personnel and employees from the Municipal Fire Protection Service of Dibër operating today.

Currently, there is no risk to populated areas. Firefighters are also working to extinguish two hotspots recorded in Vau i Dejës, one in the village of Dush and the other in the village of Karmë. Both hotspots pose no threat to residential areas.