Wildfire scorches Bosnia’s main nature reserve


Wildfire scorches Bosnia’s main nature reserve

18 October 2011

published by www.worldbulletin.net


Bosnia and Herzegovina — A nature reserve is under assault by nature itself. A wildfire is threatening – not only communities in the south eastern region of the country – but also a park there that’s s home to over 240 types of migratory birds.

Officials say wildfires which broke out over the weekend are threatening villages in Bosnia’s southeast and have destroyed almost 80 percent of the region’s main nature and bird reserve.

A Bosnian fire official said that the wind had spread one wildfire.

He said it was difficult to control the blaze because of the remote terrain.

The head of Capljina fire station Mato Jurkovic said firefighters had managed to prevent the blaze from spreading to local Crno Brdo hill.

The manager of the Hutovo Blato Bird Reserve said another wildfire that destroyed almost 80 percent of the park over the weekend has been contained.

This bird reserve is the largest of its kind in this part of Europe.

It’s home to over 240 types of migratory birds and dozens that permanently live in its wetland.

Firefighters could not say exactly how big the fire is, but say it destroyed 77 square miles of the park.


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