After Deliblato Fire, Locals Seek Answers on Emergency Response

Following a significant fire that impacted the Vrela weekend settlement near Deliblato, residents are seeking clarity from the local emergency management headquarters. Larisa Mikić, a councilor from the Democratic Party in the Kovin Municipal Assembly, told N1 that citizens feel they lack adequate information about the specific actions being taken by the authorities.

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We don't know what the Municipal Emergency Staff is doing.

Mikić confirmed that while the situation in Deliblato itself is stable, the Vrela settlement was directly affected. She noted that residents initially defended themselves against the blaze, highlighting that the area lacks a municipal water supply, with only some houses having wells. Official reports from the Ministry of Interior indicate that approximately 3,500 hectares of the total 35,000-hectare Deliblato Sands have burned.

Despite official statements, Mikić expressed frustration over poor communication with the Kovin Municipal Emergency Staff, stating they issue infrequent updates online while the fire situation is rapidly evolving. She emphasized the need for better communication regarding issues critical to citizens.

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The situation in Deliblato is fine, but Vrela, a weekend settlement belonging to Deliblato, was affected by the fire.

The councilor also pointed to systemic problems, including the long-term neglect of firebreaks within the Deliblato Sands, a responsibility of the public enterprise 'Vojvodinašume.' She cited a chronic shortage of foresters, attributed to a hiring freeze, and noted that maintenance of paths through the Sands, once done with machinery and local involvement, has ceased.

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We have poor communication with the Municipal Emergency Staff of Kovin, and they should be dealing with issues important to the citizens.

In the nearby village of Gaj, reporters observed dense gray smoke and a helicopter flying towards a village. Police have been stationed at the exit of Gaj since morning, restricting passage to Dubovac except for residents. Local villagers have expressed anxiety over the ongoing situation, which has persisted for weeks. Mikić believes authorities should determine responsibility for the current state and assess whether the fire could have been prevented or controlled more quickly, questioning the effectiveness of firefighting efforts when critical situations re-emerge with changing wind direction.

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We need to see who is responsible for this and whether it could have been prevented. What happened in the firefighting chain when we hear the fire is under control, and then in the afternoon, the situation becomes critical again as soon as the wind changes direction?