INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY SLOVENIA TO NORTH MACEDONIA IN FIGHTING A WILDFIRE IN AUGUST 2021

Abstract

Unusually high summer temperatures and strong wind caused extreme wildfires in parts of south-eastern Europe in the summer months of 2021. One of the affected countries was North Macedonia which, in addition to wildfires, had to deal with adverse weather conditions, and difficult and inaccessible terrain. North Macedonia asked Slovenia for assistance via the Union Civil Protection Mechanism. Slovenia deployed members of the Civil Protection unit for fighting wildfires with vehicles to the emergency response operation. This was a very demanding operation, since the conditions were ideal for the fire to spread: the wind was blowing and kept changing direction, temperatures exceeded 35°C, and relative humidity was low. The area was densely covered with predominantly pine forests and cypresses, and was on diverse terrain.