EU and Russian aircraft assist Serbia in fighting wildfires

Serbian authorities are battling a series of large‑scale forest fires that have erupted across the country and neighboring Balkan states amid an unprecedented heatwave. By mid‑August, more than 1,200 hectares of woodland had been scorched in Serbia’s central and southern regions, prompting the government to request external assistance. The European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism dispatched two rapid‑response teams equipped with fire‑fighting vehicles and water‑dropping helicopters, while Russia contributed a Beriev Be‑200 amphibious aircraft capable of delivering up to 3,000 litres of suppressant per sortie. Together, the multinational crews have conducted coordinated aerial and ground operations, focusing on protecting populated areas near the towns of Kraljevo and Niš and safeguarding critical infrastructure such as power lines and transport routes.

The extreme temperatures, which have consistently exceeded 40 °C, have intensified the spread of flames and hampered containment efforts throughout the Balkans, with parallel outbreaks reported in Bosnia‑Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia. Local fire services, supported by the EU and Russian assets, have reported a gradual reduction in the most active fire fronts, though hotspots remain in remote, densely forested zones. Officials say the combined international response underscores regional cooperation in the face of climate‑driven emergencies and will continue until the fires are fully extinguished and the affected areas are secured.