The Defense Ministry stated in a press release that the fire was detected after the conclusion of Saturday's SAHARA Slovakia 2026 program — a military show featuring battle reenactments, tanks, and air displays that attracts over ten thousand visitors to the site annually. The ministry has not yet determined the cause. However, for this military space, this is the second major fire in eleven days, with the previous one occurring during military exercises during a drought. Denník N ↗
Key actors — tap for context
Zahorí Military District
A military training space on the Záhorská Lowland between Malacky and Senica, the oldest and one of the largest in Slovakia.
Why here: A fire broke out in vegetation there on Saturday afternoon, with 93 firefighters responding.
More info →Zahorí Military Technical and Test Institute
A state testing facility of the Slovak Defense Ministry headquartered in the Šranek part of Senica, which tests weapons, ammunition, and explosives.
Why here: The fire broke out in its immediate vicinity and the SAHARA Slovakia event took place in its area.
SAHARA Slovakia
An event dedicated to 20th-century military history featuring battle reenactments, rides in historic vehicles on sand, and air displays, held since 2002.
Why here: The Defense Ministry reported the fire as an event that occurred after the conclusion of its Saturday program.
Defense Ministry
The central government authority responsible for Slovakia's defense, under which the military district and testing institute in Zahorí fall.
Why here: It reported the fire, coordinates the response, and refuses to prematurely determine the cause.
More info →Michal Bachratý
Spokesman of the Slovak Defense Ministry.
Why here: He stated that the cause of the fire cannot be determined prematurely and the circumstances will be subject to further investigation.
Senica
A district town in Zahorí in the Trnava region, to whose cadastre the Šranek part with the testing institute also belongs.
Why here: The fire is burning near the town and local professional firefighters are responding to it.
More info →
Kuchyňa Airfield
A military airfield near Kuchyňa village in Malacky district, part of the military space in Zahorí.
Why here: Its air range burned on July 28 during training of air controllers.
More info →
Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute
A state organization providing meteorological and hydrological services including warnings.
Why here: It recorded two national records for night temperature in Zahorí during a single week.
More info →
Skalica
A district town in northern Zahorí near the border with the Czech Republic.
Why here: On the night of August 5, the temperature here did not drop below 28.4 degrees Celsius, which is a Slovak record.
More info →
Trstín
A municipality in Trnava district below the Malé Karpaty Mountains.
Why here: A forest fire has been burning in its cadastre since Friday, affecting approximately 130 hectares.
More info →Ninety-three Firefighters and a Drone Over the Flames
Initial reports of the fire came shortly before 5 p.m. Lena Košťálová, spokeswoman for the Regional Directorate of the Fire and Rescue Service in Trnava, told TASR at the time that professional firefighters from Senica were extinguishing the fire and volunteer units were heading to the scene. TASR ↗In less than two hours, the response significantly escalated. According to the Defense Ministry's statement, 93 firefighters with 29 pieces of equipment were on site, a helicopter from Heli Company was deployed, and the ministry, in its own words, "immediately deployed additional available capacity" — UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters headed to the area. A drone from Trenčín monitored the fire site. SITA ↗
The ministry stated that "the cause of the fire cannot be prematurely determined at this time" and the circumstances of its origin will be subject to further investigation. The ministry's spokesman Michal Bachratý repeated the same words to TASR. The ministry also declared that "the absolute priority at this time is to bring the fire under control, prevent its further spread, and protect lives, health, and property," and promised to provide regular updates on developments. TASR ↗
Second Fire in the Same Space in Eleven Days
Significant context comes from comparison with the end of July. On Tuesday, July 28, a fire broke out at the air range of the Malacky-Kuchyňa military airfield, that is, in the same military space, just a few dozen kilometers to the south. Firefighters brought the fire under control, but smoke in the surrounding area persisted for approximately two days, and residents were advised to close windows and limit ventilation. STVR ↗According to Denník N, the July fire likely originated during air controller training, meaning directing aircraft to targets during a drought. The newspaper pointed out that the Defense Ministry had issued a warning for Malacky district at that time regarding elevated fire danger. Denník N ↗
The General Staff at that time denied it was a failure. It argued that such training activities must be conducted in all weather conditions and added that "at every shooting range and especially its impact area, organizational and technical measures in the form of embankments and ditches are in place, as well as the presence of a military fire brigade unit, to prevent fire spread. In this case too, the measures worked." Denník N ↗
No one has yet claimed that Saturday's fire was caused by the event. The only verified fact is the sequence of events announced by the Defense Ministry itself — first Saturday's program ended, then fire was detected. Whether there is a causal connection between them is exactly what the investigation should answer.
Why Response in Military Space Is More Complicated
A military space may present a specific problem for firefighters that ordinary forest fires do not have. In impact areas where ammunition lands after firing, unexploded ordnance may be present. In the July fire, this meant the response was mainly containment-based — instead of direct attack on fire hotspots, firefighters focused on preventing the fire from spreading into the surrounding pine forests. TASR ↗Pine forests and wind-blown sands, however, are among the riskiest terrain types during drought. They feature a dry, permeable substrate where fire in the ground layer spreads quickly and wind drives it further.
Zahorí Has Experienced Record-Breaking Hot Nights
Weather conditions also factor into context. In the past week, Zahorí saw the national record for night temperature broken twice. On the night of August 4, they recorded 27.5 degrees Celsius in Plavecké Podhradie in Senica district, surpassing the previous record of 27.3 degrees from Piešťany. Aktuality.sk ↗The very next night, the record shifted again; in Skalica, the temperature did not drop below 28.4 degrees. SME ↗ STVR ↗ On Saturday, the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute issued first-degree heat wave warnings for part of western Slovakia. SME ↗
Saturday's fire comes at a time when firefighters are dealing with several other large-scale fires. A forest in the cadastre of Trstín municipality in neighboring Trnava district has been burning since Friday, with flames affecting approximately 130 hectares, and a Black Hawk helicopter assisted in extinguishing efforts. SITA ↗ On Saturday night, a fire in Braväcovo in Horehronie engulfed ten structures with damage around 400,000 euros. STVR ↗
What hotinfo Is Following
- The cause of Saturday's fire. The Defense Ministry announced further investigation into the circumstances. We are monitoring whether the ministry will release its findings and whether it will confirm or rule out a connection between the event and the fire's origin.
- The affected area. At the time this text was completed, the officially affected area had not been reported. We are monitoring whether the Fire and Rescue Service or Defense Ministry provides it in Sunday's report.
- Rules for activities in the space during drought. After the July fire, the General Staff stated that training must be conducted in all weather conditions. We are monitoring whether the second incident in eleven days will change practice in authorizing shooting, pyrotechnics, and mass events during periods of increased fire risk.
- Trstín. The forest fire below Malé Karpaty has been burning since Friday. We are monitoring whether it can be contained and what the final affected area will be.
- Nature protection in the military district. The space is also a valuable biotope of wind-blown sands. We are monitoring how the fires affected protected sites and whether the State Nature Protection will comment on it.
