North Macedonia Appeals for EU Support as Wildfires Rage Amid Heatwave

On Tuesday, North Macedonia announced its quest for more support from the European Union in dealing with pervasive wildfires that are currently burning ferociously amid a severe heatwave. The blaze has extended over the southern border into Greece, prompting an urgent response from authorities.

Stojanche Angelov, the head of North Macedonia's Center for Crisis Management, expressed concerns about the ongoing emergence of new fires due to the extreme weather conditions and gusty winds. Over the past week, large wildfires across the country have destroyed homes, necessitated evacuations, and tragically resulted in the death of an elderly man from smoke inhalation in a village located approximately 60 kilometers east of Skopje.

In Greece, a fire that crossed the border has prompted the deployment of two air tankers and a helicopter to prevent it from reaching a shared forest by Lake Doiran. Additionally, crews near Athens have managed to control a significant blaze on the island of Evia, leveraging the support of 13 water-dropping aircraft and six helicopters that began operations at dawn on Tuesday, although two firefighters are currently receiving treatment for burns.

The Balkan region and other parts of southern Europe have been severely affected by successive heat waves, leading to widespread wildfires. Several countries, including Bulgaria and Albania, are receiving international firefighting assistance through an EU framework. In western Albania, efforts are underway to contain a wildfire in the coastal area of Shengjin, around 70 kilometers northwest of Tirana.

Fire chief Arben Cara in Albania has requested military support for helicopters capable of dropping water, and there are personnel from different regions assisting in firefighting efforts. Meanwhile, a fire in central Croatia has forced the evacuation of numerous residents near Skradin, and another blaze in Bosnia has threatened a landfill close to Olovo, with firefighters managing to control a separate fire near Mostar that nearly encroached on commercial warehouses.