The fire in the Gjinar forest massif in Elbasan has worsened in recent hours, and according to official data the flames have spread across about 10 hectares. Faced with difficult terrain and the expansion of the fire front, authorities have also activated an aerial response.
Flames advance in several areas of the forest massif
According to the official account, the most problematic hotspots have been concentrated in the areas of Caush, Pashtresh, Bregu i Madh, Korita and Lugu i Thellë, where intervention from the ground is more difficult.
The spread of the fire across an area of about 10 hectares shows that the situation on the ground remains serious, despite the deployment of forces in the operation.
Helicopter intervention begins
Around midday, aerial intervention by helicopter began, a measure usually used when the terrain and the intensity of the flames make ground intervention alone insufficient.
The focus of the operation, according to the responsible structures, is to extinguish hotspots in inaccessible areas and halt the advance of the flames toward the more exposed parts.
Dozens of personnel from several structures on the ground
About 15 firefighting personnel from MZSH Elbasan, 70 personnel from the Municipality of Elbasan and 30 members of the Armed Forces have been engaged in the operation.
This mobilization shows the scale of the emergency, while it remains to be seen how effective the intervention will be in the face of difficult terrain conditions and the rapid spread of the fire.
Strong wind complicates the operation
According to the authorities, strong wind during the night favored the reactivation and spread of the flames, making it more difficult to isolate the active hotspots.
The stated objective of the emergency structures is to protect Gjinar’s residential and tourist area, while the situation remains sensitive.
So far, official data points to one fire spreading in several directions and to an operation being carried out simultaneously from the ground and the air.
In the absence of a more complete assessment of the damage, the gravity of the situation is reflected in the area affected by the flames and the difficulty of bringing the fire under control.