A large wildfire that threatened residential areas in the central Albanian city of Kruja has been successfully brought under control. The containment effort involved a multi-agency response, prominently featuring Türkiye’s Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
Authorities deployed significant resources to combat the blaze, which broke out near the capital, Tirana, alongside several other fires across the country. The operation, which continued through the night, included approximately 300 personnel from the Armed Forces, civil emergency response units, and the local Fire Service. Aerial support was a critical component of the strategy, utilizing 21 fire engines from the National Civil Protection Agency, three helicopters, the Bayraktar TB2, and two additional thermal-imaging UAVs.
While some residents were evacuated from affected settlements as a precaution, Prime Minister Edi Rama confirmed that no injuries occurred, although one warehouse was destroyed in the fire. In a statement on X, Rama praised the coordination between firefighters, military, and police units, noting that the use of aerial equipment throughout the night was essential to overcoming high winds and preventing a more tragic outcome.
Interior Minister Besfort Lamallari, who monitored the firefighting efforts on the ground, indicated that the fire was not the result of natural causes but rather human activity. He confirmed that police have already detained a suspect in connection with the incident. Despite the containment of the Kruja blaze, Albania’s Institute of Geological Sciences has warned that several cities remain at a high risk of wildfires.
The Bayraktar TB2, developed by Baykar Technologies, has recently gained international attention for its technical capabilities. In 2025, the UCAV made history by becoming the first drone to successfully perform an autonomous spin recovery maneuver. During testing, the aircraft was deliberately placed into a spin and utilized its advanced control algorithms to recover to a stable, level flight, a feat previously unaccomplished by any other UCAV.
