Fire on Sazan island still active / Air assistance required, ammunition explosion risk

Extinguishing is impossible, although the Armed Forces intervened to locate the hearth. After many hours, air intervention is required.

According to reports, the fire has burned the vegetation on the east side of the island including shrubs and dozens of pines.

Extinguishing the flames is difficult due to the rugged terrain, while soldiers and employees are taking care due to the ammunition that this area has.

During the night, the Armed Forces will be on standby, while in the first hours of the next day, work will be done to extinguish this fire.

The Ministry of Defense says that since noon 61 members of the Navy and Land Forces, but also employees of the Agency of Protected Areas and the fire brigade of Vlora have been engaged in extinguishing the flames on the island.

Troops on the ground continue their efforts, while measures have been taken to replace and increase them.

President Ilir Meta reacted regarding the situation of the spread of fires in the country. He demanded the full commitment of local and central structures to locate and extinguish the fires in the shortest possible time, avoiding the environmental tragedy of a year ago.

“I am closely following the situation of the spread of fires in the area of ​​Vlora, especially in Sazan Island.
In order to prevent the spread of fires, so as not to repeat the situation as last summer, I ask for the full commitment of local and central structures to localize and extinguish them in the shortest possible time.

Assessing the forecasts of the Institute of Geosciences for a hot summer, with very high temperatures, I call for the readiness of the structures of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities throughout Albania, for civil protection, especially for the engagement of air fleet, for air intervention to extinguish fires in areas where terrestrial road intervention is impossible, such as the case of Sazan Island.

At the same time, it encourages the local government structures to increase the number of observers to inform in time and to keep the operational structures ready, for immediate intervention in dealing with fire situations during the summer months.
I call on all citizens to contribute with prompt information throughout the country for any case of fire, so that the responsible structures are engaged in a timely manner to isolate and extinguish them.writes Meta.

Recall that our country a year ago was engulfed by hearths from north to south, causing the burning of hundreds of hectares of forest.