Unprepared for fires
Training the community as first responders is key to fire management.
In early August 2024, fires ravaged forests and plains throughout Kosovo. The fires in Prevallë, a tourist village in the Sharr mountain ranges, lasted 10 days and drew particular attention.
Kosovo’s firefighters, with KFOR assistance, responded to the fires, but it was the rainy weather that ultimately extinguished the flames. These incidents once again highlighted the country’s inadequate capacity to handle this inevitable phenomenon, which is likely to become more frequent. In 2023, the Kosovo Environmental Protection Agency (KEPA) warned that Kosovo faces an extreme risk of forest fires.
This became evident on the ground in recent years, as Kosovo, like many other countries worldwide, continuously faced forest and rural fires. According to data provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development (MAFRD) to K2.0, there were 32 fires reported from January to June 2024, affecting 155 hectares. Of this area, 104 hectares burned in forests, while 51 hectares were in forestland.
Unusually high temperatures and prolonged dry spells, both driven by climate change, have created ideal conditions for wildfires to spread rapidly. However, in Kosovo, not all fires are caused by climate-related factors; some are deliberately set. In these instances, the current climatic conditions make it easier for the fires to spread.
Fires have caused significant harm not only to the environment but to the economy, public health and residents’ safety. Driven by both natural and human factors, these fires have inflicted severe damage, particularly on the ecosystems of protected areas like Kosovo’s two national parks: the Sharr Mountains and the Accursed Mountains.
In Kosovo, limited firefighting resources make managing these emergencies challenging and dangerous. The lack of equipment such as firefighting helicopters and the insufficient training and inadequate infrastructure significantly limits local firefighters’ effectiveness. As a result, rapid response often relies on training and involving the community as first responders.
Fires are often set on purpose
Around the world, fires are caused by both natural events and human factors, including accidents and carelessness. In Kosovo, however, it’s especially concerning that a significant number of these fires are deliberately started.
Nehat Koçinaj, a legal issues, international relations and public relations official at the Emergency Management Agency (EMA), explained that fires in fields and forests are often linked to agricultural practices or tourism. However, he noted that some fires are deliberately set, for instance in agricultural fields.
After harvest, farmers often skip traditional methods of land preparation and choose to burn leftover crop residues. This method of clearing the land creates favorable conditions for fire outbreaks, especially during dry periods, often leaving significant damage to nature and surrounding agricultural areas.
Experts and the MAFRD have repeatedly urged the public to avoid this post-harvest practice, as it causes damage. Instead, the ministry advises using agrotechnical measures for shallow tillage to create conditions that allow the waste to decompose, ultimately improving soil fertility. Despite these recommendations, many farmers remain unconvinced. This issue is not limited to remote areas; in 2024, fires also broke out in wheat fields near the Ibrahim Rugova highway, posing a risk to highway traffic.
One reason people intentionally set fires is the chance to obtain contracts for clearing burnt trees and those that have fallen due to old age. A Preportr investigation highlighted this as an incentive for deliberately setting fires, as arsonists can profit financially from the wood they clear. Companies often take advantage of these contracts by cutting down unburned trees during the clearing process, thereby misusing the agreement.
Anyone who commits arson in fields or mountains faces fines. The Law on Forests imposes penalties from 500 to 20,000 euros for starting fires on forestlands or forests.
To stop this practice, this year the MAFRD decided to penalize farmers who burn crop stubble or harvested land. Those caught committing this offense would lose government subsidies and grants for three years. However, enforcing this policy across the country remains difficult. The ministry has not disclosed the number of fines issued to date.
Even a single glass bottle left outdoors can start a fire by interacting with sunlight.
Forest fires, especially in mountainous areas, often stem from recreational activities like tourism or weekend mountain climbing. Carelessness with small fires, discarded cigarette butts or flammable materials are common factors that contribute to these fires. Prolonged high temperatures dry out vegetation, making it highly flammable and increasing the risk of fire. Even a single glass bottle left outside can start a fire by interacting with sunlight.
Additionally, some individuals deliberately start fires for unknown or criminal reasons. Koçinaj from EMA emphasizes that arsonists, who intentionally cause fires, pose a serious problem that requires the immediate action from law enforcement institutions.
Forest burning and logging are the primary drivers of deforestation and the disappearance of forested areas. This ongoing deforestation has several long-term negative impacts, including loss of biodiversity, heightened effects of climate change, soil erosion and degradation, disruption of water cycles and socio-economic consequences.
The MAFRD is actively reforesting deforested areas to help regenerate ecosystems. According to data from the Kosovo Forestry Agency, 142.8 hectares were reforested in 2023, with plans to plant saplings on an additional 100 hectares this fall.
Although frequent fires are a key consequence of climate change, Kosovo’s legal framework lacks a concrete plan of action to combat this phenomenon.
The State Strategy for the Reduction of Risk from Natural Disasters and Other Disasters 2023-2028 reports a continuous rise in the number of fires since 2000. Firefighters and other response teams respond on average 2,000 to 3,000 times a year. In this strategy, only one sentence is written about the increased risk of fires as a result of climate change.
In a response to K2.0, the MAFRD reported that fires have affected a total of 4,579 hectares of forest and forestland over the last three years.
“In 2023, fires affected 328 hectares of forests and forestland, in 2022, they affected 1,598 hectares; and in 2021, they affected 2,653 hectares,” said the MAFRD.
Official documents rely on DesInventar, a platform that provides data on Kosovo only up to 2015 and only includes reported cases.
Although there are plans on paper to strengthen response capacities, actual progress on the ground appears to have stalled.
Capacities for management
Managing fires in Kosovo is challenging due to the lack of adequate tools, especially helicopters, which are used for aerial firefighting. Currently, Kosovo has no helicopters, which forces the country to rely on KFOR’s assistance whenever fires become unmanageable. This was evident in the large blaze in Prevallë from August 4 to August 14, 2024. Reliance on external resources slows down the fire management process and complicates the response, increasing the risk of the flames spreading further.
“The helicopter is not a dream, it is a dire need, inalienable, it is the obligation of the state of Kosovo to think about it and solve it as soon as possible,” said Koçinaj from the EMA. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has not responded to this issue, but in an interview, Minister Xhelal Sveçla said that the purchase of the helicopter is not allowed by KFOR, as Kosovo does not control its own airspace — KFOR does.
The EMA is responsible for coordinating all emergency response efforts in Kosovo, including fires. The EMA relies on the 112 national centers, which operate 24 hours a day. These centers play a crucial role in facilitating information exchange, coordinating emergency responses and enhancing coordination with central, regional, local and private sector partners as needed, depending on the level of risk.
Kosovo cannot rely solely on government institutions to manage fires. He emphasizes the need to raise awareness among the community and residents of affected areas so they can act as first responders and prepare for firefighting efforts.
Koçinaj, who has three roles within the EMA, also points out the agency’s lack of capacity. “In the region, there are 30 officials in my position. What more can I say? We are overloaded and there is no recruitment or follow-up on our requests for capacity building,” said Koçinaj.
Firefighting capacities in Kosovo are a key issue given the country’s challenging mountainous terrain. According to Koçinaj, Kosovo cannot rely solely on government institutions to manage fires. He emphasizes the need to raise awareness among the community and residents of affected areas so they can act as first responders and prepare for firefighting efforts. Their cooperation with firefighters is essential.
During the fires in Prevallë, the assistance provided by citizens to firefighters drew attention in international media. 26-year-old Almedin Smaili and three of his friends volunteered for several days, using their motorcycles to transport water for firefighting, as well as food and drinks for the firefighters. Although untrained, their help was essential. Firetrucks were unable to access the terrain, which was about 1,900 meters above sea level. At the fire department base, two men filled backpacks with 25 liters of water each and his friends would transport them to other crews to use for extinguishing the flames. Smaili often carried two water backpacks, totaling 50 liters, along with food and bottles of drinking water.
“To reach the highest point with water on our backs, it takes us three hours and Almedin did it in less than ten minutes,” said Flamur Hoti, the commander of the fire brigade, to the British newspaper Metro. “We never imagined he could be so useful.”
Residents’ help in extinguishing the fire at Bajraku Peak, one of the highest peaks in the Sharr Mountains, was essential more than a decade ago. The unsuitable terrain for vehicles forced the residents of Delloci village of Suhareka to carry water to the firefighters using horses.
The municipality of Suhareka, surrounded by the Sharr mountain range, experiences fires every year. In 2021 and 2022, there were about 12 fires in a day. Managing these fires requires support from firefighting units from other cities. In response to this situation, a volunteer firefighting organization was formed in Suhareka.
Enver Shabani, a firefighter with 17 years of experience who now serves as the director of Public Services and Emergencies in the Municipality of Suhareka, recalls that they trained 10 volunteers in 2022.
“We asked the EMA to train 10 volunteers and they trained for three days to provide assistance when fires or other disasters require extra help,” said Shabani, noting the difficulty in finding volunteer or seasonal firefighters. This year, only five volunteer firefighters were available in Suhareka.
Communities at risk of fire always come to the aid of firefighting teams, but they lack professional training.
Other countries have systems in place for involving trained volunteer firefighters, which could also be adopted in Kosovo. Shabani explains that in Germany, the law regulates this, allowing volunteer firefighters to be notified when their help is needed. They have the right to leave their workplace that day and receive payment for the hours of service. Additionally, they carry a device that alerts them to emergencies.
Communities at risk of fire always come to the aid of firefighting teams, but they lack professional training.
“We called the mayor of the village to mobilize and they responded,” he said. “Residents always react in this way. But it is important for them to respond immediately.”
Since 2021, the EMA has been preparing to establish a specialized operational brigade specifically for responding to major emergencies like fires.
“This project is costly and demands full commitment from institutions to succeed, but it remains an essential step in improving the country’s capacity to face natural disasters,” said Koçinaj. Establishing such a brigade under the EMA’s direction would involve recruiting, training and preparing personnel to handle emergencies both inside and outside the country.
However, this plan has not yet been implemented due to the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ lack of financial support and human resources. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has not responded to K2.0’s questions.
Koçinaj suggests that building community capacity is key to a quick and effective response, enabling the communities themselves to be on the front line of defense against fires. This is considered the fastest way to prevent fires from spreading.
“In cases where firefighters and other emergency forces respond late, the situation worsens and fires spread more widely. That’s why active citizenship and community mobilization are essential to minimize damage,” he said.
The EMA offers training for volunteers and teams in the Academy for Public Safety, which municipalities at risk of fires can mobilize. But Koçinaj notes that there is little interest from the municipalities or the community, even though residents do not hesitate to help whenever needed.
Feature image: K2.0.
Illustrations: Dina Hajrullahu / K2.0.
Want to support our journalism?
At Kosovo 2.0, we strive to be a pillar of independent, high-quality journalism in an era where it’s increasingly challenging to maintain such standards and fearlessly pursue truth and accountability. To ensure our continued independence, we are introducing HIVE, our new membership model that offers an opportunity for anyone who values our journalism to contribute and become part of our mission.
Become a member of HIVE or consider making a donation.