Wildfires rage in five Montenegrin municipalities; critical in Herceg Novi and Ulcinj

Wildfires are burning across five municipalities in Montenegro, with the situation described as most critical above Gjenovići and in Ulcinj, the Operational Communications Centre (OCC) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported. Firefighters are racing to protect infrastructure including a power substation and a church in Ulcinj.

Fire lines and localities

According to OCC data at 14:00, an active blaze is running along the stretch from Bijela to Zelenika in the Herceg Novi municipality. "The situation is most critical above Gjenovići," said Marijana Marković of the OCC.

Marković added that a fire has also started above Dragalj in the Kotor municipality.

In Ulcinj, she listed several places where fires are still active: Vladimir, Klezna, Gač, Zoganj, Briška Gora and Darsa. "In Ulcinj there are still active fires in Vladimir, Klezna, Gač, Zoganj, Briška Gora and Darsa, where firefighters are trying to defend the transformer station and the church," Marković said.

There are active fires in Bar at Golo Brdo and Lisinje, but these currently do not pose a danger, Marković noted. Elsewhere in the country, fires are burning in Kusidi and Strmina in the Nikšić area.

Air assets are engaged around the country: the Ministry of Internal Affairs has deployed an airtanker to fight fires in the Nikšić municipality and another aircraft is operating over Ulcinj, where an Antonov-type plane is reported to be involved. Marković also said that an airtanker and helicopters of the Armed Forces of Montenegro are operating in the Herceg Novi area.

On the ground, "there are currently 73 firefighters with 20 vehicles in Herceg Novi," Marković said. "In Nikšić, 50 firefighters with ten firefighting vehicles are engaged. In Ulcinj the Armed Forces of Montenegro are also involved, where there are 14 soldiers with two field vehicles and three firefighting vehicles," she added.

Photo: Printskrin / Top Channel Albania