site.btaForest Fires Still Burning in North Macedonia, Human and Technical Resources Fully Mobilized

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of North Macedonia Thursday held a coordination meeting on forest fires which are sweeping the country. It was decided to fully mobilize all available human and technical resources for Operation Fire 2024. Participating in the discussion were Interior Minister Pance Toskovski, Public Security Bureau Director General Aleksandar Janev and heads of Interior Ministry directorates.

There are 13 active fires on Thursday, some of which have been burning for over a week. 

All the material and technical means available to the Ministry will be employed in fighting the fires, the need for increased police presence and measures to look into reports that some of the fires were caused deliberately are some of the conclusions of the meeting.

President Gordana Siljanovska visited the servicepersons involved in extinguishing one of the major forest fires in the Serta Mountain, which has been burning since July 10. Its front is over 30 km and despite the additional air support the country received under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, the fire has not been extinguished.

Earlier on Thursday, Siljanovska assigned 200 more troops to join the firefighting efforts, in addition to the current 100.