North Macedonia Asks EU for Help with Wildfires

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — North Macedonia is urgently requesting additional assistance from the European Union to combat rampant wildfires exacerbated by extreme heat and strong winds. Stojanche Angelov, head of the Center for Crisis Management, reported that new fires are continuously emerging, complicating firefighting efforts. This week, significant wildfires have devastated homes, led to evacuations, and resulted in the tragic death of an elderly man from smoke inhalation in a village east of Skopje. The wildfires have not only affected North Macedonia but have also crossed into Greece, prompting a coordinated response. Firefighters in Greece utilized two air tankers and a helicopter to prevent a blaze from reaching a shared forest near Lake Doiran. Meanwhile, on the Greek island of Evia, firefighters managed to contain a large fire with the help of 13 water-dropping aircraft and six helicopters, although two firefighters sustained burns during the operation. The ongoing heat waves have triggered wildfires across the Balkan region and southern Europe, with countries like Bulgaria and Albania receiving international firefighting support through an EU assistance program. In Albania, military aid has been requested to deploy water-dropping helicopters to combat a wildfire in the coastal area of Shengjin, while firefighters and soldiers from other regions are assisting in the efforts. In Croatia and Bosnia, wildfires have also prompted evacuations and posed threats to local infrastructure, highlighting the widespread impact of the current fire crisis across the region.