EU Sends Aid to Serbia to Help Against Fires

The European Union will send helicopters and firefighters to Serbia to help combat the widespread forest fires. Belgrade activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism on Friday after several weeks of battling the fires.

The most serious situation is in the Deliblatska Pescara Nature Reserve, an area of sand dunes and forests about 80 km from Belgrade. Since the end of July, the fire there has destroyed thousands of hectares of pine forest.

Germany will provide four Black Hawk firefighting helicopters, 55 firefighters and 24 vehicles. Romania will send 69 firefighters and 15 vehicles, said Luka Causic, head of Serbia's Department for Emergencies.

Serbia is not a member of the EU, but thanks to the Civil Protection Mechanism, it can access emergency aid from the Union. This past summer, Serbia itself sent a firefighting helicopter and a rescue team to assist Spain.

Russia has also joined the fight against the fires. Its Il-76P firefighting aircraft landed Wednesday in Nis, in southern Serbia.

The situation was more stable on Saturday, but firefighters are expecting strong winds. Protecting communities and human lives remains the priority. Other large fires continue to burn in the Stolovi mountains in southwestern Serbia.

(Reuters, lud)