Fire near Chanishta splits into four fronts — active blazes also in Kichevo, Makedonski Brod, Studenichani and Mogila

A large wildfire near the village of Chanishta in the Prilep municipality has developed into four separate firefronts and remains the biggest blaze recorded in the country this year, authorities say. Firefighters continue to battle flames that are moving toward several surrounding villages while other fires are active across the country.

Multiple fronts, reinforcements and preventive army duty

According to the morning situation update from the Center for Crisis Management (CCM), 37 fires were registered on the territory of the country in the past 24 hours, in a report covering conditions up to 7:30 a.m. Five fires remain active, one has been placed under control, and the other 31 have been extinguished.

The fire at Chanishta (Prilep) is spreading on four flanks: toward the villages of Krushevica and Lopatitsa, in the direction of Crna Reka, and along a branch reaching the village of Orle in the Novaci municipality. The blaze is burning mainly low vegetation. Units from several firefighting brigades and teams from the Directorate for Protection and Rescue (DPR) are engaged in suppression efforts.

DPR director Stojanche Angelov said that crews from Negotino and the Skopje fire brigade will join efforts to secure the village of Krushevica. He also noted that, for the first time this summer, army personnel will be deployed preventively to assist local residents if the fire approaches settlements.

Besides Chanishta, active fires were reported in the municipalities of Studenichani, Makedonski Brod, Kichevo and Mogila. In Studenichani—near the villages of Morane, Vrtetkica and Ramni Gaber—mixed forest is burning. Around Makedonski Brod, near Vidush and the villages Dragov Dol and Lokvica, flames have affected low vegetation, low-stem forest and shrubs. Near Kichevo, at the locality called Darda close to Tajmishte, a high-stem beech forest has been affected, while near the village Mojno in Mogila municipality the fire has consumed low vegetation.

Separately, the landfill fire in Delchevo that ignited several days ago has been brought under control, the CCM said. In the last 24 hours crews also extinguished fires in many other municipalities, including Saraj, Bitola, Strumica, Veles, Ohrid, Debarca, Gevgelija, Kichevo, Jagunovce, Tetovo, Tearce, Gostivar, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Zhelino, Kocani, Struga, Zelenikovo, Arachinovo and Krushevo. Most of those blazes involved low vegetation, waste sites, abandoned fields, mixed forest, shrubs and stubble.

Photo: Direkcija za zashtita i spasuvanje