EU and Russian aircraft help Serbia battle wildfires near Belgrade and in the Stolovi mountains
Serbia is continuing to battle major wildfires that have been fuelled by extreme heat and drought, with aerial support arriving from both the European Union and Russia. Firefighting operations are focused on a long-burning blaze in Deliblatska Pescara, a protected nature reserve near Belgrade, and a separate fire in the Stolovi mountain range in the southwest. Officials say the situation remains difficult, but the Stolovi fire has now been brought under control.
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State media reported that crews and helicopters from EU countries, including the Czech Republic and Romania, are working alongside Serbian teams on the Deliblatska Pescara fire. A Russian Ilyushin-76 water-bombing aircraft also helped contain the Stolovi blaze. According to the same report, 168 tonnes of water have been dropped across the two fires, including 126 tonnes in Deliblatska Pescara and 42 tonnes in Stolovi.
Serbia's interior minister, Ivica Dacic, described the situation as "extremely difficult" and said more than 400 personnel were being deployed to the area each day. President Aleksandar Vucic said the country turned to both the EU and Russia once it became clear that domestic resources were not enough. He said Serbia requested urgent assistance as soon as its own forces were no longer sufficient, and the formal appeal for help was made on Friday.
The response matters because Serbia is facing fires at a time when extreme weather is stretching emergency services across the Balkans. Deliblatska Pescara is a protected area, so the fire there carries environmental as well as operational significance. The use of both EU and Russian aircraft also underlines how disaster response can bring together partners that are otherwise often divided on political issues.
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The EU support is being coordinated through the bloc's Civil Protection Mechanism, which allows member states to pool emergency resources for disasters. The deployment includes four Black Hawk helicopters from Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, as well as firefighters and vehicles from Germany and Romania. Some aircraft were already operating over the weekend, while the remaining deployment, including a German ground team, was due to arrive by Monday.
What remains unclear is how long the Deliblatska Pescara fire will continue to burn and whether the current aerial support will be enough to prevent further spread. Serbia's authorities have not yet given a full assessment of damage, and the wider wildfire situation in the region is still developing. Fires are also burning in neighbouring North Macedonia, where one blaze near Strumica reportedly damaged at least one home.
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