Extreme weather is battering Europe on multiple fronts, with wildfires in Serbia and Bosnia, floods and fires sweeping across Spain, and severe storms causing widespread disruption in Poland, forcing thousands from their homes.
In Serbia, EU helicopters and firefighters have been dispatched to support crews battling a blaze that has engulfed more than 1,600 hectares of vegetation in the Deliblatska Pescara nature reserve, roughly 60 kilometres east of Belgrade. The fire has consumed vast stretches of scrubland in one of Europe’s largest sand-dune systems, threatening local communities and wildlife habitats. EU Civil Protection Mechanism support was activated after Serbian authorities requested assistance under the bloc’s emergency coordination framework.
Serbia and Bosnia Under Siege
The Deliblato Sands fire has proven particularly difficult to contain, with strong winds and prolonged dry conditions hampering ground crews. Local authorities reported that firefighters were working through the night to establish containment lines around the perimeter. In neighbouring Bosnia, separate wildfires have broken out in several regions, compounding the crisis. Bosnian emergency services have been stretched thin, with limited resources available to tackle multiple fronts simultaneously.
Spain and Poland Face Different Threats
In Spain, communities across several regions are dealing with both flooding and wildfires in the same week. Parts of the country have seen torrential rainfall trigger flash floods, while drier areas face fire risk. The dual threat highlights the increasingly erratic weather patterns affecting southern Europe. In Poland, severe storms have lashed parts of the country, bringing heavy rain, high winds, and power outages. Emergency services responded to dozens of incidents involving fallen trees, damaged infrastructure, and localised flooding.
The crisis comes at the end of a summer that has tested Europe’s emergency response capacity across multiple countries. Germany has been battling its own wildfire outbreaks, while France mobilised resources to support Belgium and Spain earlier in the week after the Hautes Fagnes nature reserve in Wallonia caught fire.
EU emergency coordination centres remain on standby as the week progresses, with meteorologists warning that unstable weather patterns could persist across the continent. National authorities in affected countries have urged residents in at-risk areas to remain vigilant and follow local evacuation guidance.
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