TIRANA, Aug 5 /ATA/ Over the past 10 hours, 14 wildfires have been reported across the country, seven of which remain active.
The Ministry of Defence said that, through the coordination of the National Civil Protection Agency, prefectures, local government units and the Armed Forces, operations to contain and extinguish the fires involved 29 firefighting vehicles, 246 operational personnel, 90 Armed Forces members, one helicopter and one Air Tractor aircraft from the Air Force.
Fire suppression efforts remain underway in the Dajti area, involving firefighting and civil protection teams, Protected Areas Administration staff, 50 Armed Forces personnel and one Air Force helicopter. No danger has been reported for populated areas.
The most challenging situation has been reported in the villages of Riban and Ngraçan, in the Mallakastër municipality, where the fire has grown in scale and efforts are ongoing to prevent it from spreading toward residential areas. The operation involves firefighting units from several municipalities, 35 local personnel, 40 Armed Forces members and an Air Tractor aircraft.
In Elbasan County, operations are ongoing to put out fires in Shqiponjë, Mount Dardhë and the village of Mjekës. The blazes in Shqiponjë and Mjekës have been brought under control, with no threat reported to nearby residential areas.
In the mountainous area between Stegopull and Selckë, in the municipalities of Libohovë and Dropull, the wildfire has reached the mountain ridge and increased in intensity inside a protected area. Authorities said there is no danger to inhabited zones.
In Penkovë, in the municipality of Selenicë, the wildfire has been completely brought under control after burning around 2 hectares of pine forest and affecting 40 abandoned vehicles. Firefighters continue efforts to extinguish a shrub fire in Gumenicë, while the situation in Vërzhezhë, Skrapar municipality, is now under control.
The National Civil Protection Agency (AKMC) and civil protection structures continue to monitor the situation and coordinate response efforts across the country.
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