STORY: Serbian fire crews continued to battle a major wildfire in the Deliblato Sands nature reserve on Saturday (August 22), as they awaited the arrival of European Union help.

Serbia activated the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism on Friday (August 21) after struggling for weeks with the wildfire burning through a unique mixture of sand dunes and woods about 80 km (50 miles) from the capital Belgrade, as well as other blazes in the southwest of the country.

Luka Causic, the head of the Serbian Department for Emergencies, said that European aid consists of four Black Hawk firefighting helicopters from Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, 55 firefighters and 24 vehicles from Germany, and 69 firefighters and 15 vehicles from Romania.

Causic said the situation was more stable on Saturday, but that strong winds were expected and the priority is to protect settlements and human lives.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: DELIBLATSKA PESCARA, SERBIA (AUGUST 22, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. (MUTE) VARIOUS DRONE AERIALS OF SMOKE RISING FROM DELIBLATO SANDS NATURE RESERVE

2. (MUTE) DRONE AERIAL OF FIRE IN FOREST

3. VARIOUS OF FIREFIGHTERS WORKING ON GROUND

4. BURNING BRANCH

5. (MUTE) DRONE AERIAL OF FIRE IN FOREST

6. VARIOUS OF FIREFIGHTERS WITH HOSES PUTTING OUT FIRE IN BURNT-OUT FOREST

7. (MUTE) DRONE AERIAL OF FIRE IN FOREST

8. (MUTE) DRONE AERIAL OF LATE AFTERNOON SUN SEEN THROUGH SMOKE