Forest fires in more than 40 locations in North Macedonia: 1 dead
Forest fires broke out in more than 40 points in North Macedonia, most of them yesterday.
While citizens were evacuated in 12 villages where the flames reached, many houses became unusable. One person lost his life in the fire in Kokoşinye village of Kumanova Municipality.
Stoyançe Angelov, Director of the Crisis Management Center of North Macedonia, stated in a statement that the helicopters of the army and police and two private planes could not be very effective in extinguishing the fires and said, "The fires started almost simultaneously and spread rapidly due to the wind, making the extinguishing efforts very difficult."
"Unfortunately, there are houses on fire. Most of them are old and abandoned houses in Nemanyitsa village, but there are also houses in use. Villages within the municipality of Kumanovo were also affected by the fire. These are the villages of Kshanye, Kokoshinye and Murgash, where there are mostly summer houses. The fire also affected three villages in the municipality of Staro Nagoriçane and the municipality of Kiliseli (Sveti Nikola)," Angelov said.
Some of the fires are believed to be deliberately set Angelov said that authorities believe that some of the fires were deliberately set.
Angelov said that out of a total of 46 fires that were active yesterday, 27 were successfully extinguished, 5 fires were brought under control and the fight against 14 fires is still ongoing.
