Malacky Declares State of Emergency Over Large-scale Military Area Fire

Malacky/Bratislava, 9 August (TASR) - The Malacky District Office (Bratislava region) has declared a state of emergency over a large-scale fire in the Zahorie Military District, with an eye towards enabling more effective coordination of the forces and resources deployed in the affected area, Malacky District Office head Robert Petko told TASR on late Saturday (8 August). Petko underlined that the lives and health of residents are not currently at risk. "The reason is the scale of the fire and the fact that the affected area is located within a military district, outside the territories of the towns and municipalities in Malacky District," Petko explained. According to him, declaring a state of emergency also allows additional measures to be used to tackle the fire and its aftermath. He assured the public that the situation was being continuously monitored and pledged to keep it informed of any developments. The forest fire in the Zahorie Military District broke out on Saturday afternoon. According to Michal Bachraty, the spokesperson for the Defence Ministry, it was brought under control in the early evening. Dozens of professional and volunteer firefighters, along with firefighting equipment and helicopters, are involved in tackling the blaze. Military equipment is also expected to assist with clearing up the aftermath. mf