On the 12th day of the fires in the Karaburun Peninsula (Vlora), in Gjirokaster and Rruna Mountain (Kukës) there are still fires with high intensity. The Ministry of Defense emphasized on Friday evening (06.08) in the concluding statement of the fire situation that “163 fires have been extinguished by the Armed Forces, firefighters and civil emergencies but there are still 10 active fires, two of which, one in the Peninsula of Karaburun and the other at the top of Rruna Mountain are aggressive hotbeds, where work is being done with combined forces from the ground and air. “
“There is an extremely dangerous outbreak in Gjirokastra, for which I call on the police to evacuate the residents. There are serious problems in Kukës as well, “declared last night the Minister of Defense, Niko Peleshi.
Helicopters from the EU start flights
Three powerful firefighting helicopters, assistance to Albania in extinguishing fires, made available by the activation of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (EU), arrived on Friday at Tirana International Airport, in Rinas and on Saturday, (07.08 ) flights begin to extinguish the 10 active foci concentrated in the North and South of the country.
The Minister of Defense, Niko Peleshi, emphasized that with their contribution there is hope that today the dangerous fires in the Karaburun Peninsula will be extinguished, “which threaten the Llogara National Park, one of the most important lungs of Albania”, he said in appearance.
EU solidarity with Albania
The Ambassador of the EU Delegation in Tirana, Luigi Soreca, praised the arrival in Albania of firefighting helicopters from the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, an indicator of “EU solidarity with the Albanian people”.
The three helicopters, two from the Netherlands and one from the Czech Republic, will join the local fleet today to put out the fires in the remaining 10 fires. In support of the EU, in addition to helicopters, there will be 50 military personnel, “specialized in the field of civil emergencies, who will join the local forces,” said in the official announcement of the Ministry of Defense./DW