The forest fire that broke out a few days ago in the National Park “Drina” in the area of the village of Luka in the municipality of Srebrenica is still spreading through inaccessible terrain, slopes and cliffs above Lake Perućac on the Drina, the Srebrenica Territorial Fire Unit confirmed to Srna news agency.
Firefighters say that it is not possible to extinguish this fire from the ground because the terrain is inaccessible and dangerous for people, as well as for the access of equipment.
The fire engulfs conifers and low vegetation.
The director of the National Park, Radomir Pavlović, says that they have asked for help and that they expect that the helicopters of the Helicopter Service of the Republika Srpska and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be involved in extinguishing the fire today.
The head of social activities of the municipality of Srebrenica, Adem Mehmedović, told Srna that he returned from the fire scene last night, where firefighters and forestry workers, the National Park and local residents are on duty during the night, and that the fire is still spreading through inaccessible terrain towards the Drina and is spreading through streams and cliffs upstream, where there is no option to turn it off.
“We have declared a state of emergency for the local community of Luka. This morning we sent machinery to that village to plow the roads and make sections in case the fire moves towards the village. We have also prepared facilities for the eventual evacuation of the population if necessary, because there is a danger of a large amount of smoke in the village,” said Mehmedović.
He pointed out that the participation of the helicopter of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina in extinguishing this fire is expected today.
Srebrenica firefighters, who are constantly on the ground, as well as forestry and National Park workers, as well as a group of locals work to stop and prevent the fire from spreading when it approaches accessible terrain and do not allow the fire to spread.
