The EU has sent helicopters and firefighters to Serbia because of large-scale fires

On Saturday, the head of the EU mission in Belgrade stated that the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism had sent helicopters and firefighters to assist Serbia in combating a large-scale forest fire in a nature reserve in the northeast of the country, UNN reports, citing Reuters.

Details

Serbia activated the mechanism on Friday after several weeks of battling a forest fire in the Deliblato Sands, a unique site combining sand dunes and forests located approximately 80 km from the capital, Belgrade, as well as other fires in the southwest of the country.

"We are supporting Serbia in protecting lives, livelihoods and the unique natural heritage of the Deliblato Sands," Andreas Beckkerat, head of the EU mission in Belgrade, wrote in his message.

Luka Čaušić, head of Serbia's emergency management department, said that the European assistance included four Black Hawk firefighting helicopters from Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic; 55 firefighters and 24 pieces of equipment from Germany; as well as 69 firefighters and 15 pieces of equipment from Romania.

On Saturday, one helicopter from Romania and one from Slovakia joined the firefighting efforts, while the other two from the Czech Republic will be deployed on Sunday, according to a statement from Serbia's Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Romanian firefighters and equipment also arrived in the town of Bela Crkva, located near the fire site. The German team is expected to arrive on August 24, the statement said.

In addition

Serbia is not an EU member, but it has access to emergency assistance from the EU under its Civil Protection Mechanism.

This summer, Belgrade sent a firefighting helicopter and an emergency response team to assist Spain in combating forest fires after repeated fires across Europe depleted the EU's resources.

On Wednesday, a Russian Il-76P firefighting aircraft belonging to the Ministry of Emergency Situations landed in the southern Serbian city of Niš to fight a forest fire that has destroyed thousands of hectares of pine forest since late July.

Čaušić said that the situation had stabilized on Saturday, but strong winds were expected, and the priority was to protect populated areas and human lives.