Dozens of soldiers and firefighters are trying to put out fires that have been raging since the beginning of the week in the south Albaniato close on the border with Greece.
One person was arrested yesterday morning and faces criminal charges for “intentional arson,” Interior Minister Tauland Bala announced.
The fires were brought under control last Monday night, but very high temperatures and wind are making it difficult for firefighters to work near the villages of Dropoul (Dropoli) and Finik (Finiki), according to an announcement by the Ministry of Defense.
Defense Minister Nikos Pelesi uploaded images of the operations to Facebook. “A Cougar helicopter and approximately thirty members of our armed forces resumed (yesterday) morning operations to extinguish the fire raging in the villages around Dropul,” he wrote.
Criminal proceedings against 17 people
According to an announcement by the Albanian police, criminal charges have been filed against 17 people for arson in Albania in one month, at a time when a heat wave significantly increases the risk of fires.
The fire is located a few kilometers south of the tourist town of Argyrokastro.
Since Monday eve, the Balkans have been facing a heatwave that is expected to last until the end of the week and temperatures in Albania exceed 40 degrees Celsius.
Sources: AFP, APE-MPE