Heatwave and agricultural waste burning increase firefighter engagements in Tetovo

The heatwave and post-harvest field work have led to a surge in calls for the Territorial Firefighting Unit in Tetovo. According to this institution, in 90 percent of cases, the fires are ignited by farmers clearing their plots by burning straw and other plant debris.

Avni Ameti, the unit chief, reports that the Tetovo team alone carries out an average of ten interventions every day. “This wheat harvest period inevitably brings a heavy workload, as farmers set fire to their fields and we face a high number of fires. Our staff is not allowed to take vacations during July and August, which is our fire ‘season,’ and the entire squad is kept on full alert. We also receive valuable support from the substations in Tearce and Bogovinje,” he stressed.

Beyond the problems with fire outbreaks, residents of the region have recently been facing another concern: an increased presence of snakes. Bashkim Sulejmani from the same unit says there have been cases where teams were called to remove reptiles from homes and yards. However, he assured citizens that most of the species encountered in Polog do not pose a threat to human life, although he urged everyone to remain vigilant.

Meanwhile, in the surgical ward of the Tetovo hospital, two patients bitten by snakes have been registered in recent days.