"These burnt properties that you see are someone's hundred-year effort. If two locals hadn't stayed in Mjegotin that night, everything would have caught fire. We spent the whole night putting out fires down the road, everything burned down. My soul hurts at how this looks. I grew up in these places, I know every inch of this country, I educated my children here, I graduated from college," testifies Jonus Purović, who spent the whole night with locals and his sons putting out fires in Mjegotin, a settlement that belongs to Fundina, one of the places that "Vijesti" reporters visited in the vicinity of Podgorica where the fires raged.
He notes that they fight fires here every year, last year they barely saved houses, and this destruction is catastrophic. Fundina, he claims, is the only place where firefighting planes did not arrive, while local people, without a break, saved livestock, hay and their homes.
Purović points out that villages that burn have been in flames for two days, and help from institutions is often delayed or absent, because those in charge shift responsibility from one municipality to another.
"We don't need to be told that this is not Fundina, that we don't belong to any municipality, and we are in Montenegro," says Jonus, not without indignation.
Mjegotin: estates and villages that were acquired through bloodshed
He describes the scenes of devastation as heartbreaking.
"This is what our great-grandfathers did, these estates and villages were acquired with blood. It is easy to burn, but difficult to restore to its original state," he complained to reporters for "Vijesti".
Purović did not dismiss the courage and professionalism of the firefighters. He praised the firefighters from Pljevlja who worked tirelessly on the night of the active fire, but stressed that the locals were also up to the task. He also describes the long-standing problems of the village - infrastructure has been neglected, roads, electricity and water are lacking, while officials from the Ministry of Agriculture do not go out into the field to see the actual damage and assess how much agricultural land has been destroyed.
One of the residents of Mjegotin, Zef Đokaj, says that a fire broke out in that town on the night between Wednesday and Thursday, and the fire quickly spread from the Kakaricka Gora area to Omerbožovići, threatening to engulf entire villages.
Residents worked tirelessly to put out the flames all night, while fear and tension kept them awake.
"People didn't sleep all night, we were putting out the fire, every minute was critical," says Đokaj, emphasizing that the danger still looms.
That is: between sparks and helping hands
As the reporter saw, the fire in the Tojeđ settlement behaved unpredictably, almost defiantly. As soon as it was contained on one side by the joint efforts of firefighters and locals, the flames, carried by the wind, appeared on the other side in a second, spreading smoke and glowing sparks towards the houses. That moment, when it seems that the danger is over, and then it is reborn in an instant, brought nervousness, but also determination among the people who fought to prevent the spread of the fire.
In a courtyard, which had become a temporary refuge for everyone who was not directly fighting the fire, a different scene unfolded. Locals, women, the elderly and children gathered there, while the hosts, despite the threat of fire in the immediate vicinity, made sure that everyone had a glass of cold water in their hand. Bowls of sweets were placed on the table, coffee was made, chairs were brought so that the guests, among whom were municipal police officers, journalists, or neighbors, could sit down and take a break.
While the crackling of pine trees and the shouts of firefighters could be heard in the distance, a different rhythm reigned in the yard, that of human solidarity and hospitality. With a smile, the hosts welcomed the neighbors who came from down the road, to see up close how the extinguishing was progressing and to greet those who were fighting the fire. The atmosphere was reminiscent of an impromptu get-together, but one that takes place under the shadow of a threat. Smiles and coffee mingled with worried glances towards the hill, where smoke was constantly rising.
Đurkovići: from endless greenery to pitch black darkness
On the way to Piperi, the first views from the heights offered a devastating sight - instead of the endless expanses of greenery that had adorned this area for years, there was now only black darkness, scorched land that still smoldered in places. Smoke billowed from the burning areas, reminding us that the fight against the fire was not over.
We come across a burnt-out warehouse, metal beams twisted by the embers, ash covering every inch, the smell of burning that tears your throat. Not far from there stands a house that has lost its roof. The fire has eaten it down to the last plank. The walls still stand, but wounded and charred, like silent witnesses to the disaster.
Local resident Ratko Đukić says that nothing is left, that he cannot believe what happened.
"There's no money that can compensate for the damage that's been done here. My heart breaks when I see my village," he says, his voice trembling. His eyes are full of ash, but also sadness.
Piperi, once a village of vibrant colors, orchards, and the shadows of centuries-old trees, is today a landscape of sorrow and a charred site where nature lost its battle with fire. Only a few olive groves or fruit trees miraculously survived the wave of fire, standing amidst the ashes as a silent reminder of what was lost.
A fire broke out in the village of Đurkovići, in Piperi, on August 10, destroying several buildings, agricultural machinery, properties and beehives. The fire spread to a larger area of the village and caused significant material damage, the Police Directorate said. Police officers, on the orders of the State Prosecutor at the Basic State Prosecutor's Office in Podgorica, and with the participation of experts for fires, explosions and accidents, and an electrical expert, conducted an on-site investigation to determine the cause and source of the fire.
"According to preliminary findings, the fire most likely broke out due to spontaneous combustion of electrical conductors of the low-voltage network - sparking. This version of events was also confirmed by reviewing surveillance camera footage from a wider location. The findings will be submitted to the competent authorities within the legal deadline," the Police Directorate said.
Home: a reminder of a lost life
On the way to Kuči, the scene is similar, the panorama is now black instead of green. The view of the capital is covered in thick smog, and the contours of the mountains are lost, undefined under the force of the smoke, which is the only thing that has continuity after these days of fires. It is difficult to breathe, the mask is not of much help, the eyes are watering.
The most difficult part of our journey was navigating that terrain, as we were constantly reminded that on Tuesday, when the fire in that area took everything in its path, it also took the most sacred thing, a human life. Private Dejan Božović was killed when a water tanker he and his surviving colleague Marko Iković were driving overturned and slid down a steep slope next to the road to Kupusci in Kuči.
We climb the roads following the road signs, and the fire did not spare them either, so the sign "Fundina" where the big fire raged on Tuesday, and in which we were also caught, is now black instead of yellow.
Again, in all that darkness, beautiful human nature shines. On the left side of the road we see a piece of paper wrapped in a plastic bag, left by someone, asking for water to be poured into a bowl for the animals, and there are also bags of dog food left there. Although there are no animals in sight, it was important for someone to remind us that preserving every life is equally important.
For the first time after several days of touring the burned areas, we see three cows, and we think to ourselves, "finally an animal!"
From behind a small hill, an older gentleman with a cane, Miodrag Laković, appears, who approaches us to ask what we are doing there, we explain that we are here to write a report. After we apologize, he greets us and tells us: “The reason I approached you is because you were unknown to me, and I had to check that you had not come to start a fire.”
The fear is completely justified, because although fires are natural disasters, the human factor is also important. Not everything is a consequence of heat, wind and drought, because many times it has been shown that human hands or negligence are behind the flames. The locals know this, which is why even today, as they recount the dramas of the past few days, every sentence is riddled with the suspicion that someone started the fire intentionally or through carelessness.
"We cannot live with the same fear every year and think that someone from above will help us. If the guilty are not punished, this will happen again," said Laković, calling those who set fires "terrorists."
In this atmosphere of distrust and fear, it is clear that the fight against fires does not end with extinguishing the last flame. It only begins through establishing responsibility and changing our relationship with nature.
Laković told reporters that he had no water on Thursday and no electricity for two days.
Cold is not even a cure
Driving through the burned areas of Podgorica and surrounding villages on the fourth day of active fires, "Vijesti" reporters witnessed the devastation left behind. Only ash remained of the trees and low vegetation, and there was no shade to help.
The sun and high temperatures were relentless for the firefighters, who rarely have a chance to rest, but still stop to provide information and support to the locals. The greatest impression, however, is left by the unity of the people as everyone contributes, bringing water, ice, food, drinks and a place to rest. No one asks for names, everyone sits with their neighbors commenting on the situation and everyone has only one common wish - for the fires to be extinguished and for nature and the villages to survive.
The scenes we witnessed during our recent tour of the area could hardly leave anyone indifferent. The black branches, the smell of burnt vegetation and the silence of the destroyed fields testify to the power of nature, but also to the resilience and courage of the people who live there.
Every inch of this land carries a story of a century of work, dedication and struggle, and every person on the ground feels a responsibility not to let it all go up in flames. In the burned areas, these days, in addition to the fire sirens and military machinery, demands are being heard just as loudly that the state find and sanction those who cause the fires.
Bonus video:
