Wildfires Burn Thousands of Hectares, Exposing Albania’s Systemic Weaknesses

Thousands of hectares burned in wildfires this summer in Albania, demonstrating the state’s lack of readiness and coordination to confront the challenge, experts say. With climate change, the risks are growing. In early September, wildfires engulfed Himara, burning olive groves on the hills around the Albanian coastal city and forcing emergency evacuations. Thick smoke blanketed the city as the flames spread towards inhabited areas. A preliminary assessment by local authorities said dozens of centuries-old olive trees had been destroyed, while several homes were completely burned down. Other fires broke out across Albania in early September, mainly affecting pastureland and forests. Official figures show that thousands of hectares of land were affected by wildfires during the summer. Subscribe to Balkan Insight Premium to read the full article. Please login to your account below if you are already a Premium Subscriber. Buy Premium Subscription Our Premium Service gives you full access to all content published on BalkanInsight.com, including analyses, investigations, comments, interviews and more. Choose your subscription today and get unparalleled in-depth coverage of the Southern and Eastern Europe. Buy Premium Subscription If you have trouble logging in or any other questions regarding you account, please contact us