Sazan, an uninhabited island off the coast of Vlora, is currently on fire, with the flames showing no sign of abating as the authorities are woefully under-resourced to deal with such incidents.
The island sits in the Bay of Vlore and marks the border between the Adriatic and Ionian seas. It has a surface of 5.7km and over the years, it has been home to Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans, soviet submarines, the British Royal Navy, and even Italian fascist ruler Benito Mussolini.
Today, it is a popular tourist destination for day trips and has even inspired art exhibitions.
The fire has been raging for over 24 hours, with more than 80 firefighters and members of the army on site. According to the government, they have been working to limit the spread of the fire but so far have been unable to bring it under control.
One of the biggest dangers faced includes leftover ammunition from civil unrest in 1997, which could explode though no such cases have been identified yet.
Defence Minister Niko Peleshi said that some of the most dangerous fires had been isolated. He added, “I appreciate all the concerns and opinions expressed without hesitation, but we rely on experts in the field who estimate that the most effective technique in the case of fire on the island of Sazan is to insulate the hearths by creating deforested belts around the centre.”
Critics have lambasted the government for their lack of air preparedness for fighting fires. In 2021, Albania experienced one of its worst wildfire seasons, with thousands of hectares of land being destroyed and two people dying.
The mystery of Albania’s helicopters
The fires and the reliance on air support from other countries laid bare issues with Albania’s resources.
Peleshi said, “Unfortunately, this summer will also be very hot…We have built relationships with all our partners and the European Civil Protection Mechanism to activate additional air support during the summer season, without wasting time if deemed necessary by experts.”
Last year, Peleshi said Albania had only one helicopter with a capacity of 2000 litres of water. This came as a surprise as in 2018, the former Minister of Defense Olta Xhacka organised a public demonstration of what she billed as a “12-fold increase in firefighting capacity”.
In an impressive demonstration, the Ministry showed off Air Force Cougar helicopters equipped with special containers for extinguishing fires in difficult-to-reach terrain. Each tank could hold up to 2,500 litres of water, she said.
There is not much publicly available information in terms of how many helicopters Albania has at its disposal. Some sources put the number at 12, while others in the 3-6 region. But in 2019, the US gave Albania three Black Hawk helicopters as a part of a US support package for the country.
A recent investigation by BIRN found that the government failed to pay maintenance contracts and did not guarantee the maintenance of the Cougar helicopters, rendering them all, but one, incapable of flying.
Furthermore, it sheds light on deficiencies in training staff to fly them, meaning the number of people who can respond in an emergency is minute.
Fires on the increase
Between 2004 and 2013, an average of just under 5,000 hectares of land was burnt due to wildfires every year. This included protected areas, forests, other vegetation, and even wetlands.
A study published in 2013 recommended that the government improve the network of forest roads to create fire-prevention boundaries. They also said that firefighters should be provided with the necessary equipment to fight blazes in difficult-to-reach areas. More training should be provided to firefighters, and the capacity of volunteer fighters should also be improved.
It also suggested that changes to existing laws be enacted and that coordination and collaboration between institutions and organizations should be bettered.
But the situation is expected to get worse. The Balkans are yet to experience the brunt of climate change, including higher temperatures, longer summers, and less rain. This summer has already been one of the hottest in recent years, with temperatures over 33 degrees since early June and reaching 43 degrees on several occasions.
This will increase the risk of forest and wildfires and prolong their burning when the inevitable happens. Some studies have suggested that Albania and other countries in the region can expect the fire season to be extended by an additional 2-6 weeks over the next 40 years.
Albania’s fire season typically starts in mid-July and lasts for 12 weeks.
