Dacic: 10 wildfires active in Serbia, situation most serious in Deliblato Sands, no one is at risk

Photo: Telegrafrs

Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said today that there are currently 10 active wildfires in Serbia, while the situation is the most difficult in Deliblato Sands (Deliblatska Pescara) and on Mt. Stolovi.

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He stated that no settlements and houses are under threat, but that the inaccessibility of the terrain makes extinguishing the fires difficult.

Dacic added that about 2,000 hectares were affected by the fire in Deliblato Sands but that the nearby settlements in that area are safe.

"Yesterday, we gave official approval for everyone can return and traffic can go up to Sumarak. It means that it's safe for people to be there. Our teams are constantly on the ground, there are three hotspots, they are on duty around the clock. Since yesterday, a fire-rescue boat with a crew has been anchored, in order to provide water," Dacic told RTS.

He pointed out that Deliblato Sands, which covers 35,000 hectares, is an extremely risky territory and that in the last few decades it has been repeatedly exposed to extremely big fires, the biggest of which happened in 2007, when 3,800 hectares burned.

He stated that the danger in Deliblato Sands is the wind that blows in different directions.

Dacic said that Serbia is currently facing two major problems - open fires and the historically lowest water level of the Danube in more than 100 years.

"At the same time, you have to engage forces in improving navigation, improving the Danube-Tisa-Danube canal, on which a large number of people, ecosystems, agriculture, and the electricity industry depend," said Dačić.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)