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Europe’s wildfire surge
Europe’s wildfire season has stretched firefighting capacity across borders, with countries moving aircraft, helicopters and crews as several blazes burn at the same time.
“By August 19, fires had burned 619,298 hectares across the EU”
By August 19, fires had burned 619,298 hectares across the EU, more than twice the 2006-2025 average of 280,045 hectares for the same point in the year, according to the EU's Joint Research Centre.
The European Commission described this summer's operation as the bloc's largest-ever wildfire response, with 777 firefighters from 14 countries pre-positioned in high-risk areas alongside 22 firefighting planes and five helicopters.
Serbia said its fire at Deliblatska Pescara, a protected nature reserve where blazes had burned for weeks, had been localised and extinguished, while crews continued to guard against flare-ups.
The Times of India said the overlapping emergencies kept aircraft, helicopters and personnel moving across borders as authorities remained alert for fresh outbreaks.
Serbia, Russia, and EU
Serbia initially sought Moscow's help after its interior ministry said no firefighting aircraft "of this capacity" was available through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
A Russian Emergencies Ministry IL-76P firefighting aircraft arrived in Nis on August 19 and began operating over Deliblatska Pescara the next day, while Serbia had not activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism at that point.
Bulgaria authorized the IL-76P to cross its airspace under a humanitarian firefighting exception after Belgrade requested permission, according to Bulgaria's transport ministry.
The European Commission told Reuters that there could be no "business as usual" with Moscow while Russia continued its war in Ukraine.
After Belgrade subsequently activated the mechanism, the Times of India said EU aircraft and ground crews joined an operation that already included Russian support.
Ankara fire threatens homes
In Turkey, a large forest fire in the Mamak district on the outskirts of Ankara threatened nearby residential neighbourhoods after it broke out at around 6 pm on Sunday in a wooded area along Hüseyingazi Türbe Road in the Basak neighbourhood.
“threatened nearby residential neighbourhoods”
Ankara Metropolitan Municipality said 47 vehicles and 148 personnel, along with 20 water tankers and four construction machines, were involved in the firefighting operation, and firefighters brought the blaze under control after around eight hours.
Cooling operations continued to prevent the fire from reigniting, while Ankara Governor's Office said a person suspected of causing the fire had been identified and detained and an investigation was launched.
The Times of India also said the Ankara fire broke out on Sunday evening in a wooded area of Mamak on the eastern outskirts of the Turkish capital and that cooling operations continued to prevent fresh flare-ups.
Al Jazeera described the situation as a fire "threatening homes near residential areas of Mamak" on the outskirts of Ankara.