The fire broke out in a forested area near the village of Międzyleś in the Wołomin district of central Poland and had spread across vast swathes of woodland by Thursday evening, officials said.
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said about 400 firefighters and 75 fire vehicles were involved in the operation, supported by four specialised Ground Forest Fire Fighting (GFFF) modules designed to tackle large-scale forest blazes.
"The Fire Service is fighting another major forest fire, this time in the Wołomin district," Kierwiński wrote on social media platform X.
Authorities said strong winds and hot, dry conditions were hampering efforts to contain the fire, which continued to spread overnight into Friday.
No injuries had been reported.
Residents of the villages of Ołdakowizna and Rządza in the neighbouring Mińsk district were being evacuated as a precaution, according to local authorities and police.
The municipality of Stanisławów urged residents to immediately reduce water consumption to ensure adequate pressure in the water network for firefighting operations.
"Every drop is of enormous importance for the safety of all of us and for the rescuers battling the elements," the municipality said in a statement.
A section of national road No. 50 between Stanisławów and Łochów was closed because of the fire, with traffic diverted onto regional and local roads.
Firefighters were supported from the air by police aviation units using a Black Hawk helicopter equipped with a 3,000-litre "Bambi Bucket" water tank.
Police said the helicopter carried out 31 water drops, releasing a total of 93,000 litres of water.
The operation involved more than 460 police officers, including traffic and public-order units, who helped manage evacuations, secure affected areas and warn residents through vehicle-mounted loudspeaker systems.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said earlier that he was in constant contact with the interior minister and emergency services commanders as efforts to contain the blaze continued.
"The top priority is to ensure the safety of residents and bring the situation under control," Tusk wrote on social media.
Photos: Polska Policja/x.com
(gs)
Source: TVP Info, TVN24, IAR, PAP, polskieradio24.pl