The situation with the fire on Mount Lovcen, southern Montenegro, has improved after firefighters from the towns of Cetinje and Kotor spent the entire night on the scene. This was announced by the head of the Protection and Rescue Service, Miloš Cečanović, as quoted by local media, BTA reports.
“We are installing a water tank and are awaiting the arrival of a helicopter to help extinguish the fire in the area“, Cecanovic told the portal of the Montenegrin television station RTCG this morning.
According to him, the night was difficult, but with the support of colleagues from Kotor, firefighters managed to control some of the flames.
Two specialized vehicles and ten firefighters from Cetinje, as well as four vehicles and 12 firefighters from the Kotor Protection and Rescue Service, participated in the operation to control the fire yesterday, the TANJUG agency added.
The fire broke out near the main road to Kotor and engulfed low vegetation, with strong winds making it difficult for the teams to operate.
“We also have an active fire in the Ocinici region, in the southern part of the country, and we are expecting air support from the Directorate for Emergency Situations to bring this fire under control as well“, Cecanovic added.
Meanwhile, the portal of Radio-Television Niksic reported that a firefighter from the Rescue Service was injured while extinguishing a fire in the southwestern town of Grahovo. An air-helicopter unit also joined the rescue effort there.
The Institute of Hydrometeorology and Seismology of Montenegro warned that high temperatures will persist in the country for at least another two days. Thermometers are expected to exceed 40°C, as even hotter air is entering from the central Mediterranean.