Deliblatska Pescara Fire Burned Over 12,000 Hectares
Satellite images show the July fire burned more than 12,000 hectares, state forest company Vojvodinasume says. Drone surveys come next, and the minister plans to remove the dead trees.
A satellite analysis shows that the July fire in the Deliblatska Pescara Special Nature Reserve burned more than 12,000 hectares. The results were released by the state forest company Vojvodinasume, which says the fire lasted several weeks.
How much land burned in Deliblatska Pescara?
Vojvodinasume says it manages 11,394.06 hectares of the burned land, while another 859.90 hectares were affected outside the boundaries of that area. The two figures add up to 12,253.96 hectares, which matches the estimate of more than 12,000 hectares. The statement as reproduced does not make clear whether “area” refers to the reserve itself or to the land the company manages, so this report keeps the source’s wording.
Alongside the total, Vojvodinasume published a breakdown of the burned land by vegetation type and degree of damage. It also released data on roads and firebreaks. The figures from those breakdowns are not included in the statements this report is based on.
What happens after the satellite analysis?
The analysis is part of drafting a recovery plan. According to the company, it is the expert basis for defining measures to restore the forest ecosystems of Deliblatska Pescara. The next steps are additional field research and drone surveys.
Vojvodinasume’s statement says:
“In the continuation of the recovery plan process, additional expert analyses and field research are planned, using drones equipped with hyperspectral cameras, in order to assess in more detail the vitality and condition of the fire-damaged forest stands.”
In the same statement the company added that special attention will go to border and transition zones, as well as to areas with different levels of damage. The aim, it said, is to determine more precisely how badly the vegetation was damaged and how well it can recover.
What did Minister Sara Pavkov say about the recovery?
Sara Pavkov, the caretaker Minister of Environmental Protection, attended a working meeting on the first recovery activities in the “Deliblatska Pescara” Special Nature Reserve. In her words, “the survey of the terrain with unmanned aerial vehicles and the satellite processing of data using modern technologies have been completed,” and Vojvodinasume representatives presented the results to those present.
Pavkov said the data give, in her words, “a clear picture of the condition of the burned areas” and are “the basis for planning the next steps.” As the first step she named the removal of trees that died in the fire: “Our first task is to remove the damaged and burned trees.”
In the headline of its report, the portal B92 also says the minister announced 50 million dinars for equipment and better protection of the reserve. The part of that text that is available gives no details on the sum, so it is not known how it will be allocated.
How will the recovery measures be decided?
The specific recovery measures will be set out in the recovery plan, which is being drafted on the basis of the satellite analysis already completed and additional research. Field research and drone surveys with hyperspectral cameras are meant to show what condition the damaged forest stands are in and how vital they are.
