Forest fires in Kuršumlija abating

Kursumlija's firefighters managed to localize a fire on a 10 kilometer stretch along the administrative boundary with Kosovo. Assistant Interior Minister Predrag Maric said Sunday there were no contacts with institutions in Kosovo, stressing, nonetheless, the situation with the blaze “has improved this morning compared to last night.” Forest fires in Kursumlija abating “We are conducting patrols with helicopters, and I expect the fire, at least in the territory under our control, to be contained and extinguished soon,” he said. “Meanwhile, major forest fire broke out near Prokuplje [southern Serbia], speeding onto 30 hectares of pine forest, ,and we have sent additional help to the area,” Maric added. Earlier reports from state forestry management company Srbijasume’s office in Kursumlija said that the fire along the administrative line with Kosovo was localized only in the villages of Tacevac and Rasevac, while those burning in other locations continued to spread. Due to inaccessible terrain and security risks, firefighters from Kursumlija, Prokuplje and Nis could not react properly. Srbijasume head Branislav Prolovic said late Saturday fires erupted on four locations on the administrative boundary, adding that firefighters failed to localize them as they merged and spread onto forests in the Kursumlija municipality. “These four outbrakes occurred almost simultaneously several kilometers away from each other, which is why we suspect these fires were set deliberately,” he argued.

Forest fires in Kuršumlija abating

“We are conducting patrols with helicopters, and I expect the fire, at least in the territory under our control, to be contained and extinguished soon,” he said.

“Meanwhile, major forest fire broke out near Prokuplje [southern Serbia], speeding onto 30 hectares of pine forest, ,and we have sent additional help to the area,” Marić added.

Earlier reports from state forestry management company Srbijašume’s office in Kuršumlija said that the fire along the administrative line with Kosovo was localized only in the villages of Tačevac and Raševac, while those burning in other locations continued to spread.

Due to inaccessible terrain and security risks, firefighters from Kuršumlija, Prokuplje and Niš could not react properly.

Srbijašume head Branislav Prolović said late Saturday fires erupted on four locations on the administrative boundary, adding that firefighters failed to localize them as they merged and spread onto forests in the Kuršumlija municipality.

“These four outbrakes occurred almost simultaneously several kilometers away from each other, which is why we suspect these fires were set deliberately,” he argued.