Firefighters come under fire from Kosovo

The wildfire that was burning on the administrative boundary with Kosovo has been localized during the afternoon. The blaze had extended to 150 hectares in the Kursumlija municipality this morning, but is now under control and spreads to only 15 hectares of forest. Firefighters come under fire from Kosovo “Areas on the Kosovo side of the administrative line have not caught fire,” Kosovo Police Service (KPS) spokesman Arber Beka told KIM radio earlier today. According to him, soldiers from the Greek KFOR were patrolling the area in the administrative zone. “We have checked the terrain along the boundary with Serbia and we have seen no fires on the Kosovo side,” Beka said. Branislav Prolovic, head of the state forestry management company Srbijasume’s office in Kursumlija, said that firefighters could not reach the administrative line until this morning, as they tried to put out the fire that has been ravaging the area for four days now. “Our people met with KFOR and KZK members this morning and agreed on crossing the boundary area so as to easily access areas on fire,” he said. Forestry engineer Svetislav Micovic told B92 Sunday that Kursumlija’s firefighters were denied access to the area since Albanians from a neighboring village opened fire at them. “Firefighters heard automatic gunfire and temporarily withdrew from the area, while the fire began to spread nearer to the Kursumlija villages,” he said. A MUP official in the Toplica District, Mile Jovicic, confirmed Monday Serbian firefighters came under fire from the Kosovo side of the boundary as they tried to extinguish wildfires near Kursumlija. Jovicic told the Beta news agency that he had to order his men to retreat from the location after shots were fired from an ethnic Albanian village in the Podujevo municipality. According to him, cooperation was established Monday with Kosovo Police Service (KPS) and KFOR, who are now providing security for MUP's fire department officers. Meantime, KPS spokesman Veton Elshani told reporters it was still unclear who fired at the firefighters. However, he added that "KPS had information that a wedding party was on the road near the scene at that time". Elshani offered his guess that someone from the party might have fired from what was earlier reported to have been automatic weapons. He confirmed the KPS was providing backing for the MUP personnel and firefighters battling the blaze on the administrative boundary. Partially contained fire in the Kursumlija region (Beta) Fires around Mt. Tara are under control Wildfires on Mt. Tara in western Serbia have been localized but not completely extinguished, Beta reports from the Uzice fire department. Fifteen hectares of pine forest in Tara National Park caught fire on Friday. The fire’s focus was situated on a cliff, which firefighters managed to reach with ropes. There is a threat that deposits of dry pine needles might reignite, so firefighters are keeping a constant watch.

Firefighters come under fire from Kosovo

“Areas on the Kosovo side of the administrative line have not caught fire,” Kosovo Police Service (KPS) spokesman Arber Beka told KIM radio earlier today.

According to him, soldiers from the Greek KFOR were patrolling the area in the administrative zone.

“We have checked the terrain along the boundary with Serbia and we have seen no fires on the Kosovo side,” Beka said.

Branislav Prolović, head of the state forestry management company Srbijašume’s office in Kuršumlija, said that firefighters could not reach the administrative line until this morning, as they tried to put out the fire that has been ravaging the area for four days now.

“Our people met with KFOR and KZK members this morning and agreed on crossing the boundary area so as to easily access areas on fire,” he said.

Forestry engineer Svetislav Micović told B92 Sunday that Kuršumlija’s firefighters were denied access to the area since Albanians from a neighboring village opened fire at them.

“Firefighters heard automatic gunfire and temporarily withdrew from the area, while the fire began to spread nearer to the Kuršumlija villages,” he said.

A MUP official in the Toplica District, Mile Jovičić, confirmed Monday Serbian firefighters came under fire from the Kosovo side of the boundary as they tried to extinguish wildfires near Kuršumlija.

Jovičić told the Beta news agency that he had to order his men to retreat from the location after shots were fired from an ethnic Albanian village in the Podujevo municipality.

According to him, cooperation was established Monday with Kosovo Police Service (KPS) and KFOR, who are now providing security for MUP's fire department officers.

Meantime, KPS spokesman Veton Elshani told reporters it was still unclear who fired at the firefighters.

However, he added that "KPS had information that a wedding party was on the road near the scene at that time".

Elshani offered his guess that someone from the party might have fired from what was earlier reported to have been automatic weapons.

He confirmed the KPS was providing backing for the MUP personnel and firefighters battling the blaze on the administrative boundary.

Fires around Mt. Tara are under control

Wildfires on Mt. Tara in western Serbia have been localized but not completely extinguished, Beta reports from the Užice fire department.

Fifteen hectares of pine forest in Tara National Park caught fire on Friday. The fire’s focus was situated on a cliff, which firefighters managed to reach with ropes.

There is a threat that deposits of dry pine needles might reignite, so firefighters are keeping a constant watch.