The worst situation is in the High Tatras (Vysoké Tatry): on Saturday, August 15, a forest caught fire near Popradské pleso, close to the popular tourist route Cesty slobody. The fire covered about 1.2 hectares, and it had to be extinguished from the air — a Black Hawk helicopter was transferred from another fire. By evening, the fire was stabilized, but it has not been completely extinguished yet.
What happened near Popradské pleso
The report of the fire came on Saturday afternoon. It was difficult to extinguish because of strong wind and hard-to-reach mountain terrain — vehicles simply cannot reach there.
Almost 30 professional firefighters from the stations Poprad, Mengusovce, and Vysoké Tatry (High Tatras) worked on site with 11 units of equipment, about 30 volunteers from nearby villages, and reinforcements from Prešov, Levoča, and Svit. From the air, the fire was extinguished by a UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter from Heli Company — it took water from Batizovce. A drone continuously monitored the fire center, reports Aktuality.sk.
Before sunset, the fire center was doused by a helicopter of the Slovak Armed Forces to prevent the fire from reigniting. Today, August 16, in the morning, Správa TANAP (administration of the Tatra National Park) was to decide on further steps depending on the situation.
Where not to go now: Súľovské skaly
Another large fire is in Súľovské skaly in the Bytča district. It started on Friday, August 14, and firefighting lasted at least through Saturday.
This is one of the largest equipment deployments this summer: 32 professional firefighters, 28 volunteers, and three helicopters — UH-60A Black Hawk from Heli Company, Bell 429 of the Slovak Ministry of Interior, and UH-60M Black Hawk of the army. Water for extinguishing was taken from a gravel quarry in the village of Predmier, details interez.sk.
The mayor of Súľov-Hradná village, Jaroslav Bušfy, reassures that residents are not in danger because the fire is high in the mountains. But tourists should definitely avoid visiting the rock area now — rescuers ask to completely avoid the location.
The third fire: Kojšova hoľa
On Saturday around 10:00, a forest caught fire at Kojšova hoľa in the Gelnica district, near the meteorological station. The fire covered about 0.5 hectares. Professionals from Spišská Nová Ves, Krompachy, and Gelnica worked together with volunteers, and a drone was used for reconnaissance in the hard-to-reach area. The fire was brought under control, but volunteers stayed on site to extinguish hidden centers, writes Teraz.sk.
What this means for you
If you planned a hike in the Tatras (Vysoké Tatry) or eastern Slovakia in the coming days:
- Check current warnings from Správa TANAP (administration of the Tatra National Park) before going on the route — some sections may be temporarily closed.
- It is better not to go to Súľovské skaly at all now.
- During dry periods in the mountains, strict fire prevention rules apply: no open flames, cigarettes, or campfires on trails. “A small carelessness can cause a serious fire,” emphasizes the park administration.
- If you see smoke or a fire center — call firefighters at 150 or the single European emergency number 112 (keep important emergency numbers handy).
Three forest fires in one weekend are a direct result of heat and dry weather. The season is not over yet, so caution in the mountains is very important now.
