In 20 years, 51,632 hectares of forests perish in fires in Serbia

In Serbia, in 20 years, from 2006 to 2025, more than 51,632 hectares of forests, or more than 516 square kilometers, perished in fires, according to data from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, published today by Nova ekonomija. This area is equal to the area of 72,000 football fields.

It was stated that more private forests were damaged than state forests, and that the fire affected about 27,700 hectares of private and 23,400 hectares of state forests.

State forests are forests owned by the Republic of Serbia and managed by public companies such as “Srbijasume” and “Vojvodinasume” or national parks.

The worst years for forests were 2007, 2012, 2024 and 2025, and forest damage is measured in hectares and damaged trees.

– The record year 2007 in terms of area was not also the year with the highest damaged wood volume. That infamous record in the observed period is held by 2012, when more than 63,000 cubic meters of wood were damaged – writes Nova ekonomija.

In recent days, forests and vegetation have perished in fires across Serbia.

The Deliblato Sands, a special nature reserve in South Banat, also known as the “European Sahara”, has lost more than 1,500 hectares of forest and low vegetation in fires since August 5.

Compared to 1996, when a fire broke out in the same place, about 3,800 hectares burned, and this year’s fire has reportedly consumed almost half of the area that was destroyed three decades ago in just a few days.

In addition to the fires in Vojvodina, firefighters, citizens and the military are still fighting the fire on Mount Stolovi and in the areas of Polumir and Maglic near Kraljevo, as well as near the village of Gamzigrad near Zajecar.

Srbijašume d.o.o. Beograd

JP Vojvodinašume Petrovaradin

Srbijašume

Vojvodinašume

Deliblato Sands

forest fires