Russian Emergencies Ministry aircraft continues firefighting operations in Serbia
Quick Look
- A Russian Il-76 aircraft has dropped 210 metric tons of water over three days to combat wildfires in Serbia, specifically targeting the Deliblato Sands national reserve.
- The mission follows a formal request for assistance from the Serbian government.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Deliblato Sands national reserve has been facing severe wildfires since early August. The area is listed on the UNESCO Tentative List.
MOSCOW, August 22. /TASS/. The Il-76 plane of the Russian Emergencies Ministry performed five flights and dropped 210 metric tons of water while extinguishing wildfires in Serbia on the third day of its efforts, the ministry wrote on the Max messenger.
"For the third consecutive day, the Russian Emergencies Ministry’s plane is helping to tackle wildfires in Serbia. Since morning, the Il-76 plane of the Russian Emergencies Ministry made five flights, dropping 210 metric tons of water in total," the ministry said.
Amid the difficult situation with wildfires, Serbia has asked Moscow to help. A Russian Emergencies Ministry’s special aircraft arrived in Nis, where the Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center is located, on August 19 and joined firefighting operations on the following day.
Serbia’s most severe fire has been raging in the Deliblato Sands national reserve in the country’s northeast since early August. Helicopters, as well as Serbian soldiers and specialists from the Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center in Nis, are taking part in the firefighting effort, which is being hampered by difficult terrain and historically low water levels in the Danube River. The natural reserve has been listed on the official UNESCO Tentative (Preliminary) List.
Open Questions
- When will the wildfires be fully contained?
- What is the total extent of the damage to the reserve?
