14 active wildfires across North Macedonia; 33 open‑space fires recorded by 18:00
A total of 33 open‑space fires were recorded by 18:00 on October 5, 2026; emergency teams are prioritizing sites near settlements and landfill areas.
By 18:00 on October 5, 2026, authorities recorded a total of 33 open‑space fires across North Macedonia: 14 remained active, two were reported under control and 17 had been extinguished, the Crisis Management Centre reported.
Active incidents and affected locations
The active fires were spread across both mountainous and lowland areas, affecting forests, pastures, landfill sites and stubble fields. Emergency crews listed the following municipalities and localities where fires were burning or had been recorded:
- Debar municipality: m.v. Nad Borovite – branch toward the villages of Tatar Elevci and Korab, and a branch toward the village of Banjishte (spruces, ferns and thorny shrubs);
- Chashka municipality: village of Jabolchishte, m.v. Bikov Grob (forest and low vegetation);
- Lipkovo municipality: village of Strima, place called Guri Kuk (pine forest and low vegetation);
- Tetovo municipality: above Bogovinsko Lake on the Šar Mountain (pastures);
- Kumanovo municipality: Krasta landfill (waste site);
- Zhelino municipality: village of Merovo (low vegetation);
- Vrapchishte municipality: village of Vrapchishte (low vegetation);
- Novo Selo municipality: village of Mokrieve (stubble);
- Novaci municipality: village of Dobroveni (low vegetation and stubble);
- Vinica municipality: place called Slatina (low vegetation and sparse woods);
- Butel municipality: near Smilkovsko Lake (landfill);
- Studenichani municipality: village of Cvetovo (low vegetation and mixed forest);
- Centar Zhupa municipality: village of Dolgaesh, place Tri Cheshmi – Centar Zhupa (dry grass and low‑growing forest vegetation);
- Studenichani municipality: between the villages Drachevica and Cvetovo, m.v. Kaldired (low vegetation).
Firefighters and local teams were deployed to multiple sites, with particular attention on fires close to settlements and landfill areas. Terrain, wind and the type of vegetation varied across incidents, complicating suppression efforts in some locations.
Authorities warned the public to avoid open flames and to report any new outbreaks immediately. Weather forecasts signalled a change after periods of high temperatures, with predictions of rain, thunderstorms and strong winds for the holiday weekend—conditions that could both hinder and help firefighting, depending on timing and wind gusts.
Photo: press material from the event
