Fire damages old and partly inhabited houses in Chanishte, near Prilep

Published: 17 August, 2026 19:35

A fast-moving wildfire damaged several old and some inhabited houses in the village of Chanishte, 35 kilometres from Prilep, forcing firefighters, residents and volunteers to fight flames through the night to protect the settlement and stop further spread in the Mariovo area.

Blaze spread from dry grass into the village

According to on-site reports, the fire quickly caught dry grass and low scrub around the village and then advanced toward the first buildings. Several abandoned old houses burned completely, and some structures used intermittently or inhabited year-round suffered damage.

The fire unit from Prilep, assisted by local residents, set up protective lines around the village centre to prevent larger losses. Local crews, volunteer teams and firefighters remained on the scene overnight and continued operations into the following day to contain hot spots and protect remaining properties.

Authorities expressed suspicions that the blaze may have been deliberately started. Chanishte lies approximately 35 kilometres from Prilep in the Mariovo region.

The incident came amid a wave of wildfires across the country. "Of 25 fires that were raging yesterday, overnight 21 were extinguished, while four remain active and firefighting teams continue their suppression and containment efforts today," Stojanche Angelov, director of the Directorate for Protection and Rescue (DPR), said in a video statement this afternoon. Angelov also pointed out a negative example he encountered yesterday by the Treska river, where he found a barbecue fire that had likely been used one day earlier.

Separately, a wildfire that has been burning for several days in the municipality of Macedonski Brod, in the area of the village Dragov Dol, remained active and under firefighting response. Investigations into the origin of the Chanishte fire are ongoing while crews continue to secure the settlement.

Photo: press material from the event