Fires worsen in Peqin, hundreds of personnel on the ground, aerial intervention expected

The fire situation across the territory of the Municipality of Peqin remains critical in the early hours of the weekend, with active hotspots in both administrative units, Përparim and Pajovë.

According to official information provided by the Civil Emergencies Office at the Elbasan Prefecture, the intensity of the flames varies depending on the direction and strength of the wind, making the response on the ground particularly difficult.

The operation to deal with the situation resumed at 5:00 a.m. this Saturday, with hundreds of firefighters, civil emergency personnel, members of the Armed Forces and residents of the affected areas deployed on the ground.

Dozens of firefighting and support vehicles from 11 municipalities have also been involved in the operation, working in coordination to contain the hotspots and prevent the flames from spreading toward inhabited areas.

Some of the personnel and vehicles have been positioned near homes to protect them, while other groups are working to open firebreaks and contain or extinguish the active hotspots.

Despite episodes of high flames reported in recent hours, no direct threat to homes or livestock has been reported so far.

The damage reported so far is limited to one old, uninhabited house, which was engulfed by flames yesterday afternoon.

Changes in the direction and strength of the wind remain among the main factors affecting the fire’s behavior. For this reason, the situation is being continuously monitored, and personnel on the ground are responding according to the movement of the fire front.

The authorities and operational structures continue to keep their main resources concentrated near inhabited areas, aiming to prevent the fire from reaching homes and to limit the further spread of the hotspots.

The operation is continuing uninterrupted, while teams on the ground are working to extinguish the active hotspots and create firebreaks in the most vulnerable areas. Today, in addition to the ongoing ground intervention to contain and extinguish the fires, another aerial intervention is also expected.