Albania is currently being ravaged by a series of forest and wildfires. According to the Albanian National Civil Protection Agency, 16 fires were reported in the past 24 hours alone, four of which are still active.

The fires are mainly affecting the regions of Elbasan, Finiq, Tirana, and Has. According to the Albanian news portal Koha, these are mainly areas covered with grass and shrubs, which can quickly ignite due to high temperatures and wind.

The situation was particularly critical in Seman i Ri (Fier), where a fire engulfed a residential building. The residents were brought to safety in time, but furniture and electrical appliances were damaged by the flames. At the same time, a warehouse containing around 1,600 bales of hay burned down in Fushë-Prezë near Vorë, causing considerable material damage, as also reported by Koha.

The authorities responded promptly: According to the civil protection agency, a total of 21 fire trucks and around 190 emergency personnel were deployed. In addition, 35 soldiers from the Albanian army were mobilized. A “Cougar” helicopter and two special vehicles from the armed forces for fighting forest fires were also deployed, according to a report by Top Channel (Top Channel, July 7, 2025).

According to Newsbomb, the situation in the Has region is particularly difficult to access. In the mountains between the villages of Gjinaj and Domaj, pine forests are burning on steep terrain. Firefighters, forestry officials, and volunteers are battling the spread of the flames under difficult conditions (Newsbomb.al, July 7, 2025).

In the capital region of Tirana, a fire continues to blaze in the forest area of Bulticë (municipality of Vaqarr). Here, too, the terrain is difficult to access for emergency services, which is hampering the firefighting efforts. In the southern municipality of Finiq, between the villages of Grazhdan and Malçan, authorities say they have managed to stop the fire from spreading toward settlements, but it is not yet completely under control.

The Albanian National Civil Protection Agency has urged the population to exercise extreme caution when engaging in outdoor activities. Even small lapses in attention could cause major fires in the current weather conditions. People are also asked to report any suspicious smoke immediately so that a quicker response can be made.