Rriban Village Forest Fire Forces Evacuation of 15 Families in Albania

On 4 August 2026 a large forest fire broke out near the village of Rriban in the Mallakastër region of Albania. The blaze quickly spread across pine woods, burning an estimated 15 hectares. No homes were damaged, but the flames threatened nearby settlements, prompting authorities to evacuate 15 families along with their livestock.

Firefighting units from Mallakastër, Patos, Fier and Berat coordinated the response, supported by police, civil‑protection teams, volunteers and aerial assets – a Ministry of Defence helicopter and a Canadair water‑dropping aircraft. General Directorate of Fire and Rescue head Arben Cara described the situation as “dramatic” and said operations would continue through the night. A prosecutor‑led task force has opened an investigation to determine whether the fire was caused deliberately or by negligence.