The European Union delegation in Belgrade reported on Saturday (August 22) that the EU Civil Protection Mechanism has deployed helicopters and firefighters to assist Serbia in extinguishing large-scale wildfires in the country’s northeast natural reserve area.
According to Reuters, Serbia activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism last Friday (August 21). The country had been battling wildfires in the “Deliblatska Pescara” for weeks. This unique area, consisting of sand dunes and forests, is located about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the capital, Belgrade. The wildfires have destroyed thousands of hectares of pine forests since late July.
Additionally, several wildfires have also occurred in the southwest of Serbia.
Andreas Beckerath, head of the EU delegation in Belgrade, wrote on the social media platform X: “We stand with Serbia to protect the lives, livelihoods, and the unique natural heritage of the Deliblatska Pescara sand dunes.”
Luka Causic, head of the Serbian Emergency Department, stated that European assistance includes four Black Hawk firefighting helicopters from Romania, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, 55 firefighters and 24 fire trucks from Germany, as well as 69 firefighters and 15 fire trucks from Romania.
The Serbian Ministry of Interior said in a statement that a helicopter from Romania and one from Slovakia joined the firefighting operation on Saturday, with two additional helicopters from the Czech Republic set to be deployed on Sunday.
Romanian firefighters and fire trucks have also arrived in the town of Bela Crkva near the wildfires. A German rescue team is expected to arrive on August 24.
Although Serbia is not an EU member state, it can receive EU emergency assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. This summer, wildfires have occurred in various parts of Europe, leading to a strain on EU disaster relief resources. Earlier, Serbia sent a firefighting helicopter and an emergency response team to assist Spain in fighting wildfires.
In addition to the EU’s assistance, Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations has deployed an IL-76P firefighting aircraft to help Serbia extinguish the wildfires.
Causic, the head of the Serbian Emergency Department, stated that despite the situation stabilizing last Saturday, strong winds are expected, making the protection of residential areas and the safety of the population a top priority.
Apart from the wildfires in the “Deliblatska Pescara,” there are also several major wildfires raging in the rugged Stolovi Mountains in southwestern Serbia.
In neighboring North Macedonia, the town of Strumica, south of the capital Skopje, is currently being ravaged by a large-scale wildfire.