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| The flames approached the Kalimashi tunnel on Nation Road on the evening of August 9, 2021. Photo: Facebook. |
The flames approached the Kalimashi tunnel on Nation Road on the evening of August 9, 2021.
State Police announced Tuesday that they had arrested 15 people and prosecuted 16 others for arson in the past two weeks; This period confronted the country with dozens of fires from south to north and the risk of burning thousands of hectares of forests and pastures. Two other suspected arsonists have been declared wanted.
The Director of Public Order, Ylli Vasili, said in a media statement the police were continuing their work to identify and apprehend the perpetrators of forest and pasture fires.
"The State Police is determined to bring to justice all those persons who intentionally or negligently burn forests, pastures or private property," he said.
Since mid-July, Albania has been in a state of emergency and is struggling with large fires, which have caused the death of a 64-year-old man in Gjirokastra and the injury of two people. A full balance of the damage caused by the flames is still unclear.
According to the police report, the largest number of arrests for arson belongs to the district of Vlora with 7 arrests for burning land in Tragjas, Gjorm, Karaburun, Radhimë, and Saranda and 2 prosecuted in Himara for arson in forested areas in Pilur and Fterr.
The Police Directorate of Fier has arrested 4 citizens and proceeded in a free state 3 others for arson in the forests of the villages Gjorgoz and Kreshpan. Two people are being prosecuted for the fire in the Karbunara hills.
For the dangerous fires in Gjirokastra, which caused the first victim in the country, the police have prosecuted 5 people. In Kukës, one person was arrested for arson on Gjallica Mountain and another was arrested in Mirditë for burning a forest area in the village of Simon.