BELGRADE, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Serbian emergency services are battling multiple wildfires across the country as strong winds, extreme heat and prolonged drought intensify fire conditions, with a reignited blaze in the Deliblato Sands protected nature reserve in northeastern Serbia burning around 300 hectares of pine forest on Wednesday.
Serbia's public broadcaster RTS reported that a fire extinguished in the Deliblato Sands about 10 days ago flared up again after ground-level embers were fanned by strong winds. The blaze, in the southern Banat region about 60 km east of Belgrade, had not yet been brought under control.
Serbian Interior Ministry said it had committed all available personnel and equipment. According to RTS, 45 firefighters from several towns, volunteer fire brigades and three police helicopters were tackling the fire, while no buildings were under threat.
Meanwhile, emergency services continued to battle several other fires across the country.
The wildfires coincide with the peak of a prolonged heatwave. The Republic Hydrometeorological Service (RHMZ) forecast maximum temperatures of 35-40 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and Thursday, with tropical nights expected in Belgrade and the northern province of Vojvodina.
The prolonged drought has also lowered river levels across Serbia. RHMZ warned that the Danube, Sava and Tisa rivers are expected to remain below navigational thresholds in the coming days, while flows on several smaller rivers have fallen close to biological minimum levels after weeks of exceptionally dry weather.
