Wind-Driven Wildfire Threatens Homes and Monastery in Montenegro's Ulcinj

A wildfire fanned by strong winds is posing a serious threat to the town of Ulcinj in southernmost Montenegro. The blaze, which has been spreading rapidly, is endangering residential buildings, a nearby monastery, and extensive olive groves in the area.

Thick smoke is blanketing a large portion of the Ulcinj municipality, while firefighting aircraft have been deployed to the most critical zones. Ground crews are working to contain the flames and protect key structures.

Miodrag Besovic, Director of Protection and Rescue at Montenegro's Ministry of Internal Affairs, said the immediate priority is to hold a defensive line along a road to prevent the fire from jumping to the other side. "We hope that during the night we will be able to defend the road," he said, adding that the outcome depends heavily on the wind. Besovic confirmed that teams are working to safeguard all buildings, homes, and the nearby monastery.

The incident comes amid a broader heat wave that has been affecting Europe for weeks. The extreme weather has pushed temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius in many countries, triggered droughts, and fueled wildfires from western Europe to the Balkans.

Scientists note that rising temperatures and prolonged drought leave vegetation drier and more combustible, allowing fires to spread faster and burn with greater intensity. The European Union's Copernicus climate service reports that Europe is heating at more than twice the global average since the 1980s, making it the world's fastest-warming continent.