EU and Russia Send Aircraft to Help Serbia Fight Regional Wildfires
| International Aid | Serbia requested emergency assistance from both Russia and the European Union after local forces were overwhelmed by wildfires. |
|---|---|
| Key Locations | Fires are active in the Deliblatska Pescara nature reserve near Belgrade and the Stolovi mountain range in southwestern Serbia. |
| Deployments | Russia provided a water-bombing aircraft, while the EU sent four helicopters and ground crews from Germany and Romania. |
| Regional Impact | Blazes in neighboring North Macedonia, Bosnia, and Croatia have damaged homes, closed highways, and forced evacuations. |
Emergency crews in Serbia are receiving international aerial support from both Russia and the European Union as they battle multiple wildfires across the country, state media reported. The joint firefighting effort comes after weeks of intense burning in key regions, including a prolonged blaze inside a protected nature reserve located close to the Serbian capital of Belgrade.
Firefighting operations extended into Monday at the Deliblatska Pescara nature reserve, where flames have been burning for several weeks. According to state broadcaster RTS, crews are simultaneously working to control a separate wildfire burning in the Stolovi mountain range in southwestern Serbia. According to Euro News, Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic characterized the situation in Deliblatska Pescara as “extremely difficult,” noting that more than 400 emergency personnel are being deployed to the area every day to manage the emergency.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic explained that the government appealed for external aid as soon as national emergency services became overwhelmed. Vucic stated that “our own forces were no longer sufficient” to contain the blazes, prompting Belgrade to request urgent support from both Russia and the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
Russia dispatched an Ilyushin Il-76 water-bombing plane to Serbia on Wednesday to assist with the response. RTS reported that the Russian aircraft delivered a total of 168 tonnes of water over the two active fire zones on Sunday, dropping 126 tonnes on Deliblatska Pescara and 42 tonnes on the Stolovi mountain range.
The European Union’s contribution includes four Black Hawk helicopters provided by Romania, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. In addition, Germany and Romania sent teams of ground firefighters and specialized vehicles to assist Serbian crews. Serbia submitted its formal request for emergency aid to the EU on Friday. Earlier in the summer, Serbia had provided its own firefighting helicopter and crew to aid Spain during a severe outbreak of wildfires there.
Wildfires are also causing significant disruption in neighboring Balkan countries amid a summer marked by abnormally hot and dry weather. A blaze near the town of Strumica in North Macedonia reportedly damaged at least one residential home. Further west, a large fire that broke out over the weekend along the border between Bosnia and Croatia forced authorities to close the main highway connecting Trebinje in Bosnia with the Croatian coastal city of Dubrovnik. The road closure stranded thousands of travelers and prompted emergency evacuations of nearby villages.
Background
Serbia is not a member of the European Union, but it is eligible to request disaster aid through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. The mechanism allows participating countries to pool emergency resources during major natural disasters. Serbia previously assisted EU efforts earlier in the summer by deploying a firefighting helicopter and crew to Spain when European resources were stretched.
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