A fire that swept through the areas of Bregas in the municipality of Finiq and Shelegar in the municipality of Sarandë at midday on Wednesday was brought under control only after around five hours of operations. The preliminary toll points to damage to land and olive groves, while the cause remains at the level of suspicion.
Five hours of intervention to bring the flames under control
According to official data, the fire was extinguished after a several-hour operation that began at midday. Ten firefighting vehicles and 32 personnel were deployed on the ground, sent from several southern municipalities.
Taking part in the operation were three vehicles from Finiq, two from Sarandë, two from Delvinë, two from Himarë and one vehicle from Konispol. The operation was also supported by a helicopter.
Police and emergency vehicles on the ground
In addition to firefighting structures, 15 police officers and three police vehicles were also deployed in the area. The presence of several structures on the ground shows the scale of the intervention needed to curb the spread of the flames.
However, the institutions have not made public further details about the full circumstances of the fire’s spread or about preventive measures in the area.
Damage: scrubland, olive groves and burned olive roots
Scrubland and olive groves were burned by the fire in both affected areas. According to the preliminary assessment, around 1 hectare burned in Bregas, while around 2 hectares burned in Shelegar.
In addition to the area engulfed by the flames, a considerable number of olive roots, both young and old, are also reported to have burned. This increases the economic damage for the area, especially in a territory where olive groves remain a direct asset for families and the local economy.
The cause remains preliminary
For the fire seat in Bregas, preliminary information raises the suspicion that the cause may have been a fault at the electrical substation. Until full institutional clarification, this remains only an initial lead and not an officially verified conclusion.
There is still no complete public information on whether there will be a technical inspection of the electrical installation or specific accountability for the damage caused.
The fire has been extinguished, but the consequences on the land and olive groves remain visible in the two affected areas.
In the absence of a more detailed report on the causes, the main question remains whether the incident could have been prevented.