PHOTO NEWS/ Flames Devour Forests as Mother Bear and Cub Are Photographed in Elbasan

Efforts to extinguish fires in forested areas are aimed not only at protecting residents, their homes and property, but also at saving wildlife and natural habitats threatened by the flames.

In the Shmil area of Elbasan, Armed Forces personnel photographed a brown bear with her cub as they prepared to join the firefighting operation.

Frightened by the flames, the mother bear and her cub were captured in a rare moment that shows the damage caused by the fires is not limited to burned land alone.

The images reflect the dire situation in forested areas, where smoke and fire are threatening both vegetation and the wildlife that call this territory home.

Elbasan’s forests are an important habitat for many wildlife species. Therefore, the efforts on the ground by firefighters, the Armed Forces and other agencies are focused not only on containing and extinguishing the fires, but also on preserving biodiversity.

The appearance of the mother bear and her cub near the fire-affected areas also highlights another aspect of the emergency: the need to save wild animals, which often become the unseen victims of the flames.