Serbia battles huge wildfire, evacuations in Spain

The European Union has sent helicopters and firefighters to Serbia to help tackle widespread wildfires in a nature reserve.

The European Union's Civil Protection Mechanism will send helicopters and firefighters to help Serbia fight a massive wildfire in a nature reserve in the northeast of the country, the head of the EU mission to Belgrade said.

Serbia activated the mechanism after struggling for weeks with a wildfire in Deliblatska Pescara, a unique mixture of sand dunes and woods about 80km from the capital Belgrade, as well as other blazes in the southwest of the country.

"We stand with Serbia in protecting lives, livelihoods and the unique natural heritage of Deliblatska Sands," Andreas Beckerath, the head of the EU mission to Belgrade, wrote on X.

Luka Causic, the head of the Serbian Department for Emergencies, said European aid will consist of four Black Hawk firefighting helicopters, 55 firefighters and 24 vehicles from Germany, and 69 firefighters and 15 vehicles from Romania.

Serbia is not a member of the EU but has access to emergency EU help under its Civil Protection Mechanism.

The Deliblatska Pescara wildfire has gutted thousands of hectares of pine forest since late July.

Causic said the situation was more stable on Saturday, but strong winds were expected on Sunday and the priority is to protect settlements and human lives.

Other major wildfires were also active in the rugged Stolovi mountain range in Serbia's southwest.

In eastern Spain around 1000 people have been evacuated due to a forest fire.

Buses have been made available for people without vehicles, Juan Carlos Valderrama, the minister for civil protection in the Autonomous Community of Valencia, told journalists.

The flames around the village of Gatova, near Valencia, are believed to have been sparked by a lightning strike late on Thursday. The blaze is not yet under control with more than 400ha burnt.

Television footage showed the flames in Gatova have already come close to built-up areas.

The Military Emergency Unit (UME) and numerous fire brigades were deployed to assist in the rugged terrain as well as fire-fighting helicopters and aircraft.