Balkan wildfires threaten reserves and communities across multiple countries
Multiple countries across the Balkans are currently battling severe wildfires. In Serbia, emergency services, including the military, are fighting several major blazes. The most critical situations are located in the Deliblatska Peščara nature reserve, where the fire has reportedly spread to approximately 1,500 hectares, and on Mount Stolovi near Kraljevo. In the Šumarak area of Deliblatska Peščara, residents were evacuated as flames approached homes, and crews are working to create firebreaks to contain the spread. Approximately 484 personnel are deployed across various locations in Serbia to combat the fires.
In Montenegro, active wildfires have been recorded in the regions of Bar, Cetinje, and Kolašin. Aerial support, including helicopters and planes, has been utilized to drop water on hotspots such as Mount Lisinj.
Other regional impacts include a significant fire in the Grude municipality of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which burned roughly 50 hectares, and wildfires in Bulgaria that affected approximately 200 hectares of meadows and vineyards near the Trakia highway, causing temporary traffic disruptions.
Entities: Deliblatska Peščara · Deliblatska Sand Dunes · Luka Čaušić · Miloš Milenković · Ministry of Interior of Serbia · Mount Stolovi · Regional landfill Srem-Mačva · Serbian Army · Serbian Ministry of Interior · Sremska Mitrovica · Stolovi mountain
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [DISPUTED] The fire in Deliblatska Peščara has spread to approximately 1,500 hectares. (Luka Čaušić)
- [DISPUTED] The fire in Šumarak, within the Deliblatska Peščara area, has covered more than 700 hectares. (Ministry of Interior (MUP))
- [● 2 SOURCES] In Bulgaria, a fire burned approximately 200 hectares near the Trakia highway. (BTA Agency)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Residents of the Šumarak settlement in Serbia were evacuated due to approaching flames. (Luka Čaušić)
- [● 4 SOURCES] A total of 484 personnel from various services are fighting the fires in Serbia. (Miloš Milenković)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Active fires are also reported in Montenegro in the areas of Bar, Cetinje, and Kolašin. (Ministry of Interior (MUP))
- [● 4 SOURCES] There are six active fires in Serbia, with major focus on Deliblatska Peščara and Mount Stolovi. (Miloš Milenković)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A large fire in the Grude municipality of Bosnia and Herzegovina burned approximately 50 hectares of grass and forest. (Federalna uprava civilne zaštite)