A major fire in the forested area of the village of Dardha, in the Municipality of Librazhd, has been burning for six days. According to official information from the ground, efforts to bring it under control are being hindered by difficult mountainous terrain, strong winds and extreme heat, factors that have kept the flames active across a wide area.
Flames continue for nearly a week
The fire has engulfed part of Dardha’s forested area and has still not been extinguished, although crews have been working on the ground for days. Weather conditions have favored its spread through dry vegetation and forest land, making the response more complicated than routine authority reports suggest.
Elbasan County had earlier been included among areas warned of a very high fire risk, amid the heatwave that has hit the country in recent days. Even so, the fact that the fire is continuing into a sixth day once again raises questions about the real capacities for prevention and response on the ground.
Rugged terrain hampers response
According to the official version, the mountainous terrain does not allow easy intervention with firefighting vehicles, forcing teams to move on foot and work in several sectors at the same time to isolate the active hotspots.
Strong winds and high temperatures are making it more difficult to contain the flames. This has pushed the structures engaged in the operation to focus on limiting the fire’s advance and preventing it from spreading beyond its current perimeter.
Firefighters and civil emergency teams on the ground
Dozens of members of the Librazhd fire service, supported by civil emergency structures, have been engaged continuously in the area. The stated priority remains the protection of forest land and keeping the active fire spots under control.
So far, no direct threat to homes has been reported, as the fire is located far from inhabited areas. Authorities are monitoring the situation, while the blaze remains active across the full extent of the affected area.
Dry timber has been present in the area
One element worsening the situation is the presence of large quantities of dry timber on the ground. In the area where the fire is spreading, wood debris has remained for years, linked to damage to the forest economy from illegal exploitation over the past decade.
This makes the terrain not only more flammable, but also harder to protect in conditions of extreme temperatures. In such cases, the consequences are tied not only to the immediate flames, but also to the lack of long-term control over forested areas.
At this stage, there are no reports of homes being at risk, but the fire in Dardha remains an open emergency that is seriously testing the response on the ground.
The event once again highlights that warnings of high fire risk have value only when accompanied by real preventive measures and effective response capacities.