Solution for Forrest Fires

The heatwave we are witnessing for the last couple of days is a clear warning that we need to treat our planet with more respect. Climate change is caused by all sorts of pollution, in other words, human negligence, and it is exactly one of its consequences, the one which we are fighting with no success at all. Also, periods of hot weather are periods when forest fires occur, destroying the lives of people and animals, on top of the material damage and a series of other, ecology-related issues they cause.

Forest fire seasons runs from March until late September and can sometimes stretch into October. Over the last five years, there were 59 forest fire casualties in Serbia, in addition to 114 injured civilians and another 19 injured firefighters, with fire brigades carrying out over 78,000 forest fire interventions!

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Management, of all forests that were destroyed since 2002, 40% were lost to forest fires.

This sobering data was laid out by Francine Pickup, permanent representative of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Serbia. She, together with Charge d’Affair of the EU Delegation to Serbia Mateja Norčič Štamcar, Minister of European integration Jadrankom Joksimović and other officials, attended a ceremony of donation of 27 firefighting vehicles.

The vehicles, worth over a million dinars, were donated to the Serbian Sector for Emergency Situations by the European Union.

What is interesting is that firefighting vehicles intended for forest fires are smaller than regular firefighting trucks, allowing them to move faster on rough terrain. This is crucial for reducing response times.

Also, to reduce their impact on the environment and fuel consumption, these vehicles are equipped with low emission engines (EURO 6 standard).

Considering that before the donation the Sector for Emergency Situation’s vehicles were 26.5 years old on average, it becomes clear that the fleet was more than ready for new vehicles. Specifically, nearly all vehicles intended for forest firefighting that were at Sector’s disposal, were purchased prior to 1987!

Despite regular servicing, the level of amortisation had undermined their reliability, whereas their incompatibility with transport, environmental safety, and protection regulations, has further aggravated the ability to respond quickly.

Apart from being brand new and therefore safer, these vehicles have some useful features. A 120-metre hose means a lot in forest fighting situations, one of the firefighters in attendance said, adding that the vehicles also allow firefighters to pump water out from nearby lakes and rivers and then use it to extinguish fires.

Finally, this equipment will make all citizens of Serbia safer.

“The EU is there for the people of Serbia, in every difficult situation that can happen“, Norčič Štamcar stated.

Importance of forests

Forest cover nearly 30% of the territory of the Republic of Serbia. A rise in average temperatures, caused by global warming, increases the likelihood of forest fires, posing a significant threat to areas under forest. On the other hand, forests play an important role in stopping climate change, given that they absorb a third of global emissions of carbon dioxide produced through fossil fuel consumption. Because of this, protection of forest ecosystems is crucial for protection of our planet and the quality of life of future generations.

Over 14 million euros in grants

The donation of firefighting vehicles was organised within EU for Serbia resilient to disasters, a project funded by the EU and implemented by UNDP. The objective of the project is to contribute to reducing Serbia’s vulnerability to crises and disasters, by offering support for local and national institutions and organisations to strengthen their prevention measures and increase their response capacity. The entire project, within which ambulances, Mountain Rescue Service vehicles, mobile dams and numerous other items have been procured, is valued at over 14 million euros.

Specifically, the total value of vehicles which will be used by firefighters from Kikinda, Novi Pazar, Šabac, Valjevo, etc., exceeds one million euros.