A total of 69 Romanian firefighters deployed to Serbia over the weekend of August 22 to 23 to protect communities affected by fires, according to an announcement made by Romanian foreign minister Oana Toiu. The detachment included 15 technical vehicles and a Black Hawk helicopter.
The Romanian firefighting module supported Serbian colleagues in the localities of Kajtasovo and Grebenac, amid vegetation and forest fires occurring in the area, according to the Department of Emergency Situations, or DSU.
Operational activity began with personnel traveling to the two localities, and two intervention sectors were established to carry out the operation, one in each locality, with the Romanian firefighters’ main objective being to limit the spread of the fires and protect the communities. The intervention involved finding and extinguishing hotspots as well as monitoring affected areas to prevent re-ignition and spread.
During the two-day intervention, the Black Hawk 277 helicopter, operated by IGAv within the European RescEU mechanism, carried out 37 water drops using the Bambi Bucket system in areas affected by fires in Serbia. The helicopter dropped 92.5 tons of water on the hotspots, mainly on Sunday, August 23, according to the DSU.
Serbian foreign minister Marko Djuric thanked Romania for its assistance in fighting the fires in a social media post.
“Deeply grateful to Romania, to foreign minister Oana Toiu, and to the courageous DSU Romania firefighters for standing with Serbia at this difficult moment. Your swift and substantial assistance embodies the finest spirit of friendship, good-neighbourliness and European solidarity. Serbia will not forget it,” the official said on X.
On Friday, August 21, a thick layer of smoke covered the western Romanian city of Timişoara for the second consecutive day, following recent out-of-control wildfires in Serbia. In response, authorities recommended that residents stay indoors.
(Photo source: DSU on Facebook)
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