The smokiness in Skopje is caused by the wind carrying smoke from the active fire on Kitka Mountain, located in the Municipalities of Studenichani and Zelenikovo, the Crisis Management Center said on Monday. The Interior Ministry helicopter has been deployed to battle that fire so far, it added.
So far, according to the press release, Management has received no reports of a potential fire on Vodno Mountain, apart from two fires involving dry grass and low-degraded forest in the Municipality of Ilinden. However, several hours later, Protection and Rescue Directorate Director Angelov said the smoke was coming from the Zheden Mountain fire, in the Bojane village district.
According to IQAir data, the air in Skopje is classified in the “Unhealthy” category, with an Air Quality Index of 155, Fokus.mk reported. The Crisis Management Center said at 6:30 p.m. that there were seven active open-air fires.