In the Serbian Banat, vegetation is burning across 300 hectares

A total of 80 firefighters and 3 helicopters from the Ministry of the Interior have been deployed to fight the fire. Their work is being hampered not only by dry conditions and heat, but also by winds that keep fanning the flames.

The Banat Dune Region, also known as the “Banat Sand Desert” (Serbian: Deliblatska pescara), is a dune and forest area covering approximately 300 square kilometers in the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, stretching north of the Danube. It consists of forests, grasslands, and open sandy areas and is considered the largest contiguous sandy area in Europe.

It is a protected nature reserve and is home to about 900 plant species. Because of its exceptional bird population, it is also one of Europe’s most important bird sanctuaries.