Firefighting reinforcements from Slovenia and the Czech Republic are expected to arrive in North Macedonia on Tuesday to assist in battling a major wildfire on Mount Goten, near the eastern town of Berovo, civil protection chief Stojanche Angelov said.
Speaking at an afternoon press briefing, Angelov said the Czech “Black Hawk” helicopter and a team of 62 Slovenian firefighters with 18 specialised vehicles were en route and expected to begin operations later in the day.
“We will deploy additional national forces tomorrow and focus our efforts on the Goten fire, which remains the most serious of the four active wildfires in the country,” he said.
Angelov noted that while Austria and France had offered assistance—80 firefighters from Austria and 50 from France—the country currently did not require further help. “The support is ready, and should the need arise, they can be deployed immediately,” he said.
In the Radovish area of the fire, 60 army personnel and 30 police officers are operating on the ground, supported by specialised vehicles from the Crisis Management Centre, including six Pinzgauers, four BRTs, and four Hermelins, strategically deployed near affected villages.
On the Berovo side, 40 army personnel and 25 special police units have been deployed, alongside 18 Crisis Management Centre staff providing logistical support to local firefighters. Angelov attended a crisis meeting in Berovo on Monday night to assess local needs.
According to the Crisis Management Centre, a total of 27 wildfires have been reported in the country since July 25. Of these, seven remain active, three are under control, and 17 have been extinguished.
The situation remains critical in several areas. Near the village of Nivichino, wildfires continue to consume low-stemmed forest and shrubland across the slopes of Mount Goten and parts of the Maleševo Mountains.
In the Prilep region, fires are spreading from the village of Beshishte toward Gradeshnitsa and the Greek border. Fire crews have been unable to intervene in certain areas due to the risk of unexploded ordnance, Angelov said.
Elsewhere, wildfires are burning mixed forests between villages near Prilep and Kavadarci, as well as degraded oak and brush areas near Creshovo, Lokvica, and Krapa in the municipality of Makedonski Brod.
Fires are also active in Macedonian Kamenica, where pine forests near the village of Kosevitsa are burning intensely, and in Čaška, where beech forests near Oreshe are affected. Flames have also re-emerged near the village of Gorno Crsko in the Kičevo region.
Despite the challenging conditions, officials say progress has been made. Fires near the village of Greshnica (Makedonski Brod), and in the region between Dragojevo and Selce (Štip), are now under control, as is a blaze near Yunuzlija (Karbinci municipality).
Seventeen wildfires have been extinguished in recent days, including those near Bitola, Kumanovo, Tetovo, Ohrid, and Resen. A particularly dangerous situation unfolded near Oblavce and Dovezence, where a blaze spread toward Dimonce and Konjuh, threatening homes.
Officials said that while some fires were caused by negligence, others are under investigation for suspected arson.
Authorities continue to warn that wildfire risks remain high despite slightly falling temperatures. Residents are urged not to light fires outdoors and to report any signs of smoke or fire immediately.