The Ministry of Defense announced that, as of 2:00 p.m. on August 25, 11 wildfires had been identified in Albania. Of these, 5 remain active, 5 have been placed under monitoring, and 1 has been extinguished.

A total of 65 operational personnel and 2 firefighting vehicles have been deployed to manage the situation. Also made available for the operations are 20 members of the Armed Forces and a helicopter.

On Mount Dajt, in Tirana, efforts are continuing in the area above the Qafë Mollë tunnels. Firefighting forces, personnel from the Protected Areas Administration and 20 members of the Armed Forces are operating on the ground, supported by a helicopter.

The hotspot remains active but poses no risk to populated areas.

In Ballenjë, Dibër, the flames continue to burn across difficult rocky terrain. The operation is being carried out by 5 personnel from the Dibër Protected Areas Administration, while homes in the area are not at risk.

The Qafa e Helmësit hotspot in Bulqizë remains active and is being monitored by 4 personnel from the Bulqizë Fire Protection and Rescue Service. In this case too, no risk to homes has been reported.

On Mount Dardhë, in Librazhd, the fire has reignited across a forested area of approximately 7–8 hectares. Personnel from the Librazhd Fire Protection and Rescue Service are on the ground to deal with the situation, while homes are not threatened.

Efforts are also continuing in Valikardhë, Bulqizë, where one firefighting vehicle and 6 personnel have been deployed. The forces are working to contain the hotspot, whose spread is being aided by wind and high temperatures.

According to the Ministry of Defense, the situation at this stage is considered manageable. The efforts of the relevant structures have focused on containing the active hotspots and preventing their spread.

Meanwhile, there are no longer any active hotspots in the areas of Gjegjan, Gojan, Prozhëm and Tërbun in Pukë. These territories continue to be monitored.

The National Civil Protection Agency is continuously monitoring the situation throughout the country, in cooperation with the prefectures, municipalities and other Civil Protection structures.

Protecting citizens’ lives, homes and property remains a priority. Operational capacities remain on standby to intervene in any area where necessary.

The post Fire situation across the country: five hotspots remain active in Dajt and Bulqizë appeared first on Albeu.com.

The National Civil Protection Agency has warned that, due to the high temperatures expected to affect the country in the coming days, the risk of fires breaking out is increasing significantly.

In a press release, the institution called on municipalities, prefects and field operations teams to keep human resources and equipment ready, and to intervene without delay as soon as any flames appear.

AKMC also urged the public to follow preventive rules and avoid lighting fires in nature or throwing cigarette butts on the ground.

“The latest data from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism indicate that weather conditions with high temperatures will prevail in the region, drastically increasing the likelihood of fires. An extremely high level of risk is forecast for Greece and Turkey, while several areas of Europe also remain in a critical situation.

As temperatures are rising throughout the region, Albania is also expected to face an increased threat of fires starting and spreading. Under these circumstances, the National Civil Protection Agency calls on local government units, prefectures and the forces involved to remain on alert with all their capacities, act immediately in response to any fire and, if local resources are overwhelmed, request assistance without delay in accordance with the procedures of the civil protection system.

At the same time, AKMC urges all citizens to exercise the utmost caution and comply with the following preventive measures:

• Avoid lighting fires in open spaces.

• Do not leave cigarette butts in forests, pastures or near dry vegetation.

• Avoid burning waste, vegetation or other materials during these days of high temperatures.

• If you notice a fire starting, immediately notify emergency teams, because rapid reporting is essential to stop the flames from spreading.

Prevention is a shared responsibility. Only through everyone’s care and coordination can we protect lives, property and the environment,” the statement concludes.

The post Civil Protection Warning: Heatwave Increases Fire Risk, Call for Maximum Vigilance appeared first on Albeu.com.