Fire at the foot of Pelister fought from ground and air
Resen and Bitola brigades, DPR teams and an army helicopter are fighting multiple blazes; authorities recorded 13 fires this morning, nine still active.
Firefighters are battling complex wildfires at the foothills of Pelister and near the village of Gradec in the Gostivar–Vrapchishte area, authorities say, with operations taking place both on the ground and from the air.
Multiple crews engaged as several blazes remain active
Teams from Resen and Bitola fire brigades are working alongside volunteers from several towns and five teams from the Directorate for Protection and Rescue (DPR) equipped with Pinzgauer off‑road vehicles. An army helicopter is actively supporting the effort and is scheduled to be replaced by Air Tractors, while crews from the National Forests joined the operation today.
Officials reported that 13 open‑space fires were recorded this morning; nine remain active and four are under control.
Blaze activity has also been recorded on the slopes of Kitka and Zheden mountains and around the settlements of Chashka, Bogovinje and Makedonski Brod. The fire on the territory of Gostivar municipality — which had threatened to spread toward villages in the Porechie area — is now under control, as are the fires at the Delchevo landfill and within the Municipality of Makedonski Brod.
Authorities warn that the wildfire risk remains high despite recent rains. The MAKFIS vegetation dryness monitoring system continues to show conditions favourable for fire outbreaks.
Ognen Chancharevic
Photo: press material from the event
