Wildfires in Balkans as Europe grapples with heatwaves

TIRANA: Wildfires have forced evacuations in at least three Balkan countries and reportedly destroyed several homes in Albania, as firefighters battled blazes in sweltering conditions on Monday.

Europe is witnessing heatwaves after the world witnessed the third-hottest July in recorded history.

Not far from Balkans, Turkiye saw its hottest July in 55 years, as temperatures recorded in 66 of the country’s 220 weather stations showed an average rise of 1.9 degrees over the preceding years.

The highest-ever recorded temperature of 50.5 C was also set near the end of July in Silopi, southeast Turkiye.

According to Albania’s defence ministry, Hundreds of firefighters and soldiers had subdued most of the close to 40 fires that flared up in the last 24 hours, but more than a dozen were still active.

OVER 40C

Fires continued to burn in the southern coastal area of Finiq, around 160 kilometres south of the capital, where about 10 people were evacuated and several homes were razed on Sunday night, according to local media.

Just outside the capital of neighbouring Montenegro, fire crews managed to save dozens of homes when a blaze broke out in “extremely inaccessible terrain” on Monday, commander of the Protection and Rescue Service Nikola Bojanovic told media.

Thick smoke could be seen still billowing from the fire in hills above Pogdorica on Monday afternoon — as temperatures soared to 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).

In Croatia, around 150 firefighters also spent the night defending homes from a blaze near the port city of Split.

On Sunday, flames driven by wind and intense heat spread to the hills around the central southern Albanian city of Polican, prompting the evacuation of elderly residents from a care home and six families from nearby villages.

The ministry said that the fire had been controlled with no threat to surrounding communities.

Around 800 Albanian troops have been deployed, along with military aircraft and helicopters from surrounding countries, to battle the wildfires.

Since the start of July, nearly 34,000 hectares (85,000 acres) have been scorched nationwide, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS).

Police allege that many of the blazes have been deliberately lit, with more than 20 people arrested in recent weeks.

“An intentional fire is not only a crime, but a betrayal,” Prime Minister Edi Rama said in a statement.

Several parts of the Balkans are tipped to climb above 40C this week as a heatwave sweeps the region, with some of the highest temperatures expected in Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia.

SPANISH EXTREME HEAT

On Sunday, more than 1,000 people were evacuated in northwest Spain as wildfires spread, fueled by scorching temperatures and strong winds, authorities said.

Around 400 people were displaced in and around the town of Carucedo, and another 700 from several towns near the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Las Medulas, a former Roman gold-mining area known for its striking red landscape.

The head of the regional government of Castile and Leon, Alfonso Manueco, said experts suspect several of the blazes were set by arsonists.

“We will be relentless with the perpetrators of these attacks against the lives and safety of people and our historical and natural heritage,” he wrote on X.

Spain’s Military Emergency Unit (UME) has deployed nearly 60 soldiers and 20 vehicles to the area, joining a large firefighting operation that includes aircraft and bulldozers working to create firebreaks.

Firefighters said scorching temperatures, low air humidity levels and strong winds which often changed direction were complicating their efforts to put out the flames.

Wildfires were also affecting the northern regions of Galicia and Navarre as Spain endures a heatwave which is entering its second week, with temperatures nearing 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in many regions.

The extreme heat is expected to last until at least Thursday. Civil protection authorities have warned of a high to extreme wildfire risk across much of the country.