Serbia: Fire engulfs 3,500 hectares of valuable Vojvodina forest, critics decry lack of prevention

A critical fire in Deliblatska Peščara, a unique natural area in Serbia's Vojvodina region, has engulfed 3,500 hectares and is spreading towards the Danube River. The situation is particularly dire near Dubovac and Bela Crkva, where strong winds hinder firefighting efforts.

The League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina (LSV) has sharply criticized the government's response, arguing that simply having firefighters on the ground is insufficient. The party questioned the lack of preventative measures, asking if firebreaks were prepared, if the early warning system functioned, and if there were adequate equipment, personnel, and aerial support.

LSV highlighted that Vojvodina is one of Serbia's least forested regions, making the loss of significant woodland an ecological and public interest crisis. "Nature is not defended with press conferences. Forests are defended before fires," the party stated, demanding that Deliblatska Peščara be protected and restored. They also called for accountability for any failures that exacerbated the disaster, asserting, "Vojvodina has no forests to waste."