Serbia's Deliblato Sands ablaze as firefighters battle 1,500-hectare wildfire

Firefighters are engaged in an intense battle against a major wildfire that has ravaged Serbia's Deliblato Sands, a protected nature reserve. The blaze has already consumed an estimated 1,500 hectares of forest and low vegetation, with crews working through the night to contain the spread.

Conditions remain challenging, particularly around the village of Sumarak, where winds, though somewhat weakened, continue to shift direction. This variability complicates containment efforts, although firefighters have managed to extinguish parts of the fire near Sumarak. Heavy machinery is being used in nearby Dubovac to create wide firebreaks, a crucial step in preventing further advance.

Fortunately, Sumarak has been successfully defended, with no homes or residential buildings affected thus far, according to local officials. Meanwhile, a separate wildfire in the Zaracke Mountains was extinguished early Sunday morning. However, emergency management officials are keeping crews on alert due to forecasts of continued high temperatures.

The Zaracke Mountains fire impacted over 90 hectares of pine forest and more than 100 hectares of pasture. Fire crews have been redeployed to Mount Stolovi, where fires involving low vegetation and deciduous forest are also being managed. The combination of high temperatures and unpredictable winds poses an ongoing risk of new outbreaks and renewed fire spread across the region.

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Sumarak has so far been successfully defended from the fire, with flames failing to reach homes or other residential buildings.