Seven active wildfires, three under control — authorities report
Seven open-space fires active as of 18:30; three fires are under control and several others extinguished, authorities say.
The Crisis Management Center (CMC) reported that seven wildfires remained active as of 18:30, while several others have been extinguished or placed under control across the country.
Location and current status
According to the CMC, of the 17 fires they have registered, three are currently under control and seven have been extinguished. The active fires include one in Saraj Municipality near the villages of Radusha and Kopanica, where low-growing trees and ground vegetation are burning.
Other active blazes were recorded above the village of Nezhilovo in Chashka Municipality, burning low vegetation and isolated trees; near Urvich in Bogovinje Municipality, where low-growing forest is on fire; and in the area between the villages of Selce, Puhche, Stepanci and Lakavica in Shtip Municipality.
Additional active fires are reported between the villages Barbarëvo and Stinik in Novo Selo Municipality, affecting low vegetation and mixed forest; near the villages Dolna Belica, Vishni and Oktisi in Struga Municipality, where stubble fields and low vegetation are burning; and close to a data center near Prilep Municipality, where low vegetation and rubbish are on fire.
The CMC says fires are under control in Gostivar and Makedonski Brod municipalities, where low trees, low vegetation, pastures and bracken have been affected, as well as at the municipal landfill in Delchevo and above the village of Paligrad in Zelenikovo Municipality.
Earlier in the day Stojanche Angelov, director of the Directorate for Protection and Rescue (DPR), noted that most of roughly twenty open-space fires were extinguished and some had been brought under control. He highlighted as positive news that the large blaze that broke out three days ago on the foothills of Pelister has been placed under full control.
Angelov said in an afternoon video statement: "This I consider one of the greatest successes this summer, because extinguishing a fire of this kind that developed above parts of pine forest is simply incredible. Once again I extend great thanks to all who took part in extinguishing and bringing this fire under control. I hope that the control we established will be maintained during the day, and during the night work will continue again centimeter by centimeter, meter by meter inside the fire to achieve its complete extinguishing."
Photo: press material from the event
