Fires in Preševo and Bujanovac have once again exposed how vulnerable we are to climate change and human carelessness. Aleksandar Martinović, head of the Serbian government’s Coordination Body for the municipalities of Preševo, Bujanovac, and Medveđa, visited the fire-hit villages of Crnotince and Rajince and promised additional investments in the emergency sector. The material damage is significant, but thankfully, there were no human casualties.
Firefighting teams were on the ground 24/7, and it is estimated that about 20 hectares of forest and arable land were damaged. Martinović urged citizens to act responsibly and not to burn crop residues, especially during high temperatures and strong winds, because the state cannot do everything alone.
The Serbian government has decided to allocate funds from the budget reserve for damage repair and aid to the most affected. A local commission will assess the damage on private forest lands, and then the government will compensate the losses.
This event once again highlighted the importance of cooperation between the state, local governments, and citizens in emergency situations. However, the question remains – is this help enough to prevent future disasters that await us due to climate change and human irresponsibility?
If you have your own opinion or are from the area, drop a comment below. Let’s see who else thinks it’s time for serious changes, not just promises!
