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105
Indicator State and Analysis of Damage to Forest Fires on the Territory of the Republic of Serbia
for the Period from 2012-2016 Years
Review article UDC 504.1:630*43(497.11)„2012/2016"
Received: 12th September 2018; doi:10.5937/zrgfub1802105M
Received in revised form: 8th November 2018;
Accepted: 29th November 2018;
Available online: 30th December 2018.
INDICATOR STATE AND ANALYSIS OF DAMAGE TO
FOREST FIRES ON THE TERRITORY OF THE REPUBLIC
OF SERBIA FOR THE PERIOD FROM 2012-2016 YEARS
Milica Marceta*1, Katarina Milanovic**
* University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Science, Novi Sad
** University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, Novi Sad
Abstract: The paper presents the current state and analysis of the consequences of
forest res in the territory of R. Serbia in the period from 2012 to 2016, when a total of
414 res were registered, with affected area by re of 9.428 ha, and a damaged wood
of 122.890 m3. In Serbia, forest res are one of the more frequent natural disasters, but
caused by human neglect. Therefore, in addition to the ecological problem, res also
represent the main economic problem of our forestry, destroying and devastating
huge forest areas and consequently affecting the reduction of wood mass. The aim
of this paper is to present and analyze the state and damage caused by forest res in
the territory of Serbia and the importance of timely education and legal protection
of forests as a natural good.
Keywords: forest res, natural disasters, affected area by re.
Introduction
The general role of forest cover is commonly known for the functioning of
the biosphere, where the inuence of forest ecosystems is reected in the diverse
interconnectedness of all members of the living community and the entire plan-
et. In addition to the production of oxygen, it is undoubtedly one of the most
important functions of absorbing harmful gases from the atmosphere, primarily
carbon dioxide during the photosynthesis process, where at the same time a
1 Corresponding author: M. Marčeta, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Science, Novi Sad;
e-mail: milica0210@gmail.com
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large amount of oxygen returns to the atmosphere and thus ensures the sur-
vival of all living beings on Earth. This way, the effects of “greenhouse” and the
warming of the planet slow down, as well as the deposition of the terrain and
the formation of the desert, which examples we see in many parts of the world.
Based on data published in the Global Forest Resources Assessment in 2015, in
the world forests occupy an area of 4 billion hectares, accounting for 30.6% of the
total Earth’s surface. The forest cover in Europe occupies an area of 182 million
hectares, which is 43% of its total area, making it one of the richest regions in the
world. The recent growth of forest cover is the result of national laws and the
implementation of measures of afforestation and natural expansion.
Serbia belongs to medium-forested countries, since 29.1% of the total land
area is under the forest cover. Of this, 7.1% belongs to AP Vojvodina, and the rest
of 37.6% in central Serbia. In relation to the global aspect, the forestry in Serbia
is close to 30% of the world, where it is signicantly lower than the European
with 46% of forest cover. World examples show that, in Norway in relation to
the number of inhabitants, the forest is 6.93 ha, 5.91 ha in Finland, 1.8 ha in the
countries of the region - Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, 0.3 ha per capita
in Serbia (http://www.srbijasume.rs/sumskifond.html).
Data taken from the Bulletin Forestry in the Republic of Serbia (2016) shows
data on the state of the forest fund by ownership for 2007 (Table 1).
Table 1. State of the forest fund according to ownership in Serbia in 2017
Ownership Area (ha) % Volume (m3) %
State 896 400,0 39,8 175965880,5 48,5
Private 1 175 200,0 52,2 162820921,8 44,9
Other 180 800,0 8,0 23700615,3 6,5
Total 2 262 400,0 100,0 362487417,6 100,0
Source: Bulletin Forestry in the Republic of Serbia 2016.
Based on the data from Table 1, in the total area of the forest fund of 2 262
400 ha, there is a noticeable increase in the share of privately owned forests by
12.4%, compared to the state-owned land area of 39.8%. There is noticeable in-
crease in the total area under forests in the period from 2013 to 2017, which is the
result of the application of appropriate forest protection measures, among which
is the most signicant afforestation. However, by inadequate sanctions and
omissions in the organization of state-owned enterprises, the threat to forests
caused by various factors, where the human factor is crucial, creates the possibil-
ity of a re. In addition to geophysical factors, when considering the frequency
of occurrence of forest res, anthropogenic impact should also be considered
(Lukic et al., 2017). More specically, about 5% of the re is attributed to natu-
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Indicator State and Analysis of Damage to Forest Fires on the Territory of the Republic of Serbia
for the Period from 2012-2016 Years
ral causes, the other 95% to human activity, such as negligence, pyromania or
works on agricultural land (Radovanovic, Periera Gomes, 2008). In the Republic
of Serbia forest res are classied as a group of natural disasters, while in the
world they are classied as a group of climatic natural disasters, where more
than 50 thousand forest res are registered annually, which on average destroy
more than 40 million hectares of forest, and as a result, there is a large number
of human casualties, reduction in the number of wild animals, landslides, etc.
(Lukic et al., 2013). As the most extreme form of devastation and destruction
of the forest fund, forest res represent a global problem and require the en-
gagement of all entities in preventing and extinguishing the re. In addition to
human casualties, it creates economic damage and ecological consequences, and
their occurrence and spatial distribution depend on climatic conditions, humid-
ity conditions, quantity of fuel plant material and human activity as a crucial
factor (Avramovic et al., 2017). In the last decades, in addition to increasing the
number of forest res, there is a trend of increasing their destructiveness, where
such events negatively affect the society as a whole, economic development and
the environment (Cvetkovic, 2016). However, predicting future forest res in
practice is difcult to achieve because existing meteorological data and general
re statistics are only available for a short time (Girardin et al., 2013).
Forest res
Forest res can be dened as uncontrolled movement of re by the forest
surface, where its effect disappears huge areas of forest vegetation, leaving only
devastated areas covered with gravel and ash. The damage of such proportions
inicts enormous material and economic losses on the company, which includes
the costs of extinguishing the re, the damage caused by the re itself and the
costs of the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the forest fund. They arise as a
result of physical and chemical processes when the source of heat, fuel and air
found in synergy to provide ame, “Fire triangle” (Keller, Blodgett, 2008). The
consequences of ecological damage that are manifested for many years after the
re has happened: the disappearance of rare and endangered plant and animal
species, changes in the chemical and physical properties of the land, changes in
the landscape, climate and microclimate, landslide and increased erosion, im-
pact on biodiversity, combustion of wood returns carbon dioxide to the atmos-
phere, etc. (Aleksic et al., 2009). Extreme climatic conditions, such as prolonged
warm waves, droughts and strong winds, are one of the crucial factors in cli-
mate change and will more likely and more seriously affect European forest
ecosystems (JRC Science for policy report, 2017). It is often that the forests can’t
be generated after the res, where the entire ecosystem with the plants and ani-
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mals living in it is irreversibly lost. From the point of view of the World Wildlife
Fund, the effects of forest res on diverse global species are serious: 84% of the
surface of all ecoregions that are critical to preserving the diversity of the global
species are threatened by the change in intensity of re and its frequency. Also,
by creating greenhouse gases, forest res contribute to climate change. Warm
waves lead to degradation and drying of trees, which increases their vulnerabil-
ity. About 15% of global emissions (greenhouse gases) are attributed to forest
res - most of them are caused by the resulting conversion of land and the de-
composition of re in tropical rain forests. Forest res cause about 32% of carbon
monoxide and 10% of methane emissions, as well as over 86% of carbon dioxide
emissions (Forests ablaze, 2016).
The Decree on the classication of buildings, activities and land in the cat-
egories of vulnerability to re, and according to the area occupied by the forests,
are classied into the following two categories:
Category I – High risk facilities for re-extinguishing:
I7.7 – spaces with protected and high quality forest (national parks etc.)
with an area greater than 10,000 ha
I8.10 – spaces with protected and high quality forest (national parks etc.) of
5000 to 10.000 ha
Category II – Facilities with increased risk of re outbreaks:
II1.11 - spaces with protected and high quality forest (national parks etc.) of
800 to 5000
II2.7 - spaces with protected and high quality forest (national parks etc.) of
up to 800 ha (Decree on classication of buildings, activities and lands in catego-
ries of re threats, „Sluzbeni glasnik RS“, number 76/10).
Several types of re are known, which depends on the place where they
developed, or from the fuel which is affected by re: underground, terrestrial
(low), re in crowns of trees (crown / high) and re related to lonely tree (Sorak
, Rvovic, 2016). The most dangerous are underground res that are difcult to
detect and extinguishing, and they pose a threat to roots of trees. These are the
most “tiring” res that can cause great damage to forest vegetation, primarily by
destroying the roots of trees. In Serbia there are more frequent terrestrial res,
especially in deciduous forests, which are the most harmful in young stands,
while in the older they lead to damage to the bark and trees. In the case of ter-
restrial re, the re mostly covered dry grass, dry trees and shrubs. High res
involve larger areas, the whole tree, where it is supported by the wind, expands
its activity and thus destroys primarily coniferous forests (Aleksic, Jancic, 2011).
Because of sensitivity to ignition and burning due to the presence of resin and
essential oils, coniferous forests are most endangered by forest res, followed
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Indicator State and Analysis of Damage to Forest Fires on the Territory of the Republic of Serbia
for the Period from 2012-2016 Years
by mixed and at the end of the deciduous forest. From the species of trees, by
threat, in the rst place are white and black pine, marine and “Vajmutov” pine,
larch, spruce and least sensitive r three. From the deciduous trees, the most
sensitive is the oak tree (Jancic, 2014). High res are usually occurred during
the summer period when drought and strong wind can completely destroy the
affected trees. They are monitored by large heat allocation, where large ame
and strong spinning poles are created in the tree canopy creating a reball with
plenty of sparks (Djordjevic, Djukalovic, 2016).
Material and methods
The Statistical Ofce of the Republic of Serbia within the framework of the
publication Forestry in the Republic of Serbia for the period from 2007 to 2016
presents data that have been analyzed and presented for the purposes of this
paper. The state-owned enterprises “Srbijasume” and “Vojvodinasume”, as well
as public enterprises of national parks and agricultural cooperatives dealing
with forestry activities, submit a report on the damage caused to the forests in
the RS. Data on forest damage to the Republic Statistical Ofce are submitted by
the Ministry of Internal Affairs - Emergency Management Directorate and the
Forest Administration. In addition to state forests, damages caused by res are
also shown for privately owned forests. According to the criteria ICP Forests,
DG Environment, UNECE / FAO, the methodology for collecting and calculat-
ing data is dened every two years as forest re statistics. The International
Cooperative Program for Assessing and Monitoring the Effects of Air Pollution
in Forests (ICP Forests) was established in 1985 with the aim of collecting, com-
piling and evaluating data on the state of forest ecosystems throughout the
UNECE region (UN Economic Commission for Europe). ICP Forests monitor
the state of forests at of monitoring intensity: Level monitoring based on around
5600 observation plate on a systematic transnational grid (16x16 km) across
Europe in order to gain insight into the current state of geographical and tem-
poral variation of forest ecosystems. The second level includes the monitoring
of selected forest ecosystems in order to explain the cause-effect relationship
between environmental drivers and responses to forest ecosystems among the
42 participating countries. In order to ensure a regular review of the activities
of the program, the Program Coordinating Center of ICP Forests, annually pub-
lishes technical report with summarized research, which gives an opportunity
to all participating countries to report about their national activities (Technical
report of ICP Forests, 2017). Data on forest damage are collected by causes of
their origin, and by type of forest, and are expressed in m3 for the average wood
mass and to ha for the surface area (Avramovic et al., 2017). Under the area
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affected by re, the total surface area is considered to be the area under forest
land and the forest affected by the re. The paper presents data on the volume
of damaged wood mass and the burnt surface from terrestrial and high res, as
well as data on the wood volume that had to be cut due to the damage. In the
region of R. Serbia, and on the basis of the national report as a member of the
ICP Forests, the rst level control (16x16 km) is based on the 101 plot for sam-
pling and additional (4x4 km), 29 new parcels, the total number of 130 parcels.
The data collected refer to: the total number of conifers and deciduous forests
and percentage of the degree of defoliation (depletion of leaves) caused by the
effects of negative agents (Technical Report of ICP Forests, 2017). For the collec-
tion of data, it is necessary to dene the required data such as: date and time of
the re, place of occurrence, size of the re and the affected area by re. Data is
collected in several ways: through a completed form - reports of forest res and
cartographic data collected through GPS. The main topics for analyzing the data
are: the state of forests, the effects on forest ecosystems of acidity, nitrogen and
ozone, as well as the contribution in the eld of climate change and biodiversity.
Simple data processing shown in the form of a table comprise general statistics
(number of res during the year and red area), monthly distribution per day,
distribution by surface classes, causes of re and by geographical units, accord-
ing to administrative or forest units. The minimum necessary information that
each member must provide, as an ofcial report, has information on the date
and time of the rst warning, the date and time of the rst intervention, the date
and hour of extinguishing, the speed of re spread, the location of the re (state,
area, province, community), total burnt surface, re reason and localization of
the burnt surface. Integration of all data can be achieved according to the avail-
ability of data in the time and space. Forest condition in terms of growth, tree
condition, variety of plants and soil conditions can be affected by biotic (pests
and diseases) and abiotic factors (climate and air pollution). Before published
relevant data, the update must be approved by the ICP Forests Working Group,
where data revision are made every 5 years (ICP Forests, 2017).
Results and discussion
The data and indicators of the condition of forest res on the territory of
the Republic of Serbia in the period 2012-2016 were analyzed in the framework
of the paper. The total number of forest res based on the place of origin (ter-
restrial, high), number of res by regions, total red area (ha), total damaged
volume of wood mass (m3), damage in the state forests of Serbia, by type of for-
est, is shown.
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Indicator State and Analysis of Damage to Forest Fires on the Territory of the Republic of Serbia
for the Period from 2012-2016 Years
Since the beginning of the recording in Serbia, the longest warm waves
and the worst drought have been registered during the summer of 2012. Warm
waves registered on the territory of the Balkan Peninsula, including R. Serbia,
were responsible for the largest number of forest res (Unkasevic, Tosic, 2014).
Table 2. shows the total number of forest res and damages they produced in
the observed period from 2012-2016, based on the data of the Republic Statistical
Ofce. The largest number of res was registered in 2012 with an affected area
by re of 7,460 ha. For the observed period (2012-2016), a total of 414 res with
affected area by re of 9.428 ha and damaged wood mass of 122.890 m3 were
recorded.
Table 2. Damages from forest res in the forests of Serbia for the period from 2012-2016.
Year 2012. 2013. 2014. 2015. 2016. Total
Aected area by re (ha)
(state and private forests) 7.460 561 284 827 296 9.428
Damaged wood mass (m3)63.118 7.343 10.256 5.059 37.114 122.890
Number of res 282 43 12 47 30 414
Source: http://publikacije.stat.gov.rs/G2018/Pdf/G20181133.pdf
Data on forest damage are collected on the basis of the type of forest and
the causes of the damage, and they are expressed in ha for affected area by re
and in m3 for the average damaged wood mass. Based on the given table, we can
see that the number of forest res ranged from 12 in 2014 to 282 in 2012, with a
number of oscillations in the years to the last recorded 30 in 2016. The affected
area by re in 2013, 2014 and 2016 did not exceed 600 hectares, in 827 ha in 2015,
while in 2012 it was marked with the largest number of affected area by re of
total 7.460 ha - most for the ve-year period (Damage in the forests, 2016 ).
Table 3 shows data on the total number of res in the regions for the ve-
year period from 2012-2016. in the state forests of Serbia. Of the total number of
(282) in 2012, most of the re occurred in the region of Sumadija and Western
Serbia (96) and South and East Serbia (95), Vojvodina (71), and in the territory
of the Belgrade region 20. Then follows the period of decline in events during
2013, 2014 and 2015 to the last recorded 30 res in 2016. In the region of South
and East Serbia, 16 res were registered that year, three more than in the region
of Sumadija and Western Serbia, where 13 accidental res were detected. In the
region of Vojvodina in 2016 only one re was recorded, and in the Belgrade re-
gion there was no recorded case.
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Table 3. Number of res by regions for the period 2012-2016. in the state forests of Serbia
Year 2012. 2013. 2014. 2015. 2016. Total
Belgrade region 20 - 2 - - 22
Region of Vojvodina 71 4 4 - 1 80
Region of Sumadija
and Western Serbia 96 13 4 31 13 157
Region of South
and East Serbia 95 26 2 16 16 145
Number of res (total) 282 43 12 47 30 414
Aected area by re (total ha) 5108 326 52 688 261 6435
Source: Done on the basis of the data of the Republic Statistical Ofce
During the ve-year period observed, the smallest number of occurred cases,
it happened in the Belgrade region, where in 2012 there were 20 res, and dur-
ing 2013, 2015 and 2016 there were no phenomena. In relation to other regions
of Serbia, the region of Sumadija and Western Serbia had the most recorded
res, in the total amount of 157 occurrences. In 2012, 96 res were recorded, one
more than in the region of South and East Serbia, when 95 cases were recorded.
In all regions, the smallest number of res occurred in 2014 in a total number of
12 res. According to the frequency of the re, after the region of Sumadija and
Western Serbia, followed by region of South and East Serbia, then the region of
Vojvodina and the last place Belgrade region.
Graph 1. Frequency of re in state forests of Serbia by region for the observed ve-year period
(2012-2016)
Source: Done on the basis of the data of the Republic Statistical Ofce
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Indicator State and Analysis of Damage to Forest Fires on the Territory of the Republic of Serbia
for the Period from 2012-2016 Years
In relation to the observed ve-year period, the region of South and East
Serbia had the greatest amount of damage from re, especially in 2012 when
the affected area by re in the state forests of Serbia was 3510 ha, then in 2015,
569 ha. Forest res in Sumadija and Western Serbia affected the largest area
in 2012, 1316 ha, then in 2013, the surface area of 232 ha, and the least in 2014,
with affected area by re of 13 ha. In 2012, for the observed period in the region
of Vojvodina, the largest area affected by re of 227 ha was recorded, and the
smallest in 2013 with 3 hectares affected area by re. Unlike other regions of
Serbia, the Belgrade region is the least affected region in terms of re in the
observed period from 2012-2016. years. Only in 2012, the area of 55 ha in the
Belgrade region was affected and in 2014, 1 ha. During 2013, 2015 and 2016,
there are no recorded areas affected by re in the Belgrade region.
Graph 2. Area affected by res by regions for the period 2012-2016. in the state forests of Serbia
Source: Done on the basis of the data of the Republic Statistical Ofce
The total number of forest res according to the place of origin in the state
forests of Serbia for the observed ve-year period (2012-2016) is shown in Table 4.
Table 4. The total number of forest res according to the place of origin in the state forests of
Serbia in the period from 2012 to 2016
Year Place of origin Total Index
Terrestrial High Base Chain
2012. 211 71 282 85.98 433.85
2013. 37 6 43 13.11 15.25
2014. 9 3 12 3.66 27.91
2015. 38 9 47 14.33 391.67
2016. 29 1 30 9.15 63.83
Total 324 90 414
Annual average 65 18 83
% 78.31 21.69 100.00
Source: Done on the basis of the data of the Republic Statistical Ofce
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Based on the data presented, it can be concluded that during the ve-year
period, a total of 414 res occurred, which is an average of 83 cases per year, and
on average 6.9 on a monthly basis. Of the total number of res, the terrestrial re
participates in a percentage of 78.3%, while high res account for 21.7%. At an
annual average, 65 terrestrial res and 18 high res occur on average. Most of
the cases occurred in 2012 in the total amount of 282 res, and given the place
of origin, terrestrial 211 and high 71. The least cases occurred in 2014 in the total
amount of 12 res, of which the terrestrial res participated with 9, and high in
3 cases, where the terrestrial ones represent the smallest number of res in the
observed ve-year period. In the total amount of 90 high res in the period from
2012-2016. the smallest number of them occurred in 2016 when only one was
recorded, as opposed to 2012 when a total of 71 high res were recorded.
Analysis of the data about affected area by re in state and private forests in
Table 5. show that in the observed period from the total area during 2012, 2013,
2015 and 2016. state forests were more vulnerable than private ones. In 2014
there is a turning point where private forests dominated in relation to the state,
forasmuch as that area affected by re in private forests amounted 232 ha, com-
pared to 52 hectares of state-owned land. The largest difference in the affected
area occurred in 2012 when the area covered by re in state forests amounted
5.108 ha (3,510 ha of the South and East Serbia region) and 2352 ha in private. In
the ve-year period (2012-2016), the biggest damage to private forest ownership
was in 2012, compared to state forests in 2014. The least affected area of reght-
ing privately owned forests was gain during 2016 when the affected area by re
amounted to 35 ha .
Table 5. Affected areas by re of state and private forests in Serbia during the ve-year period
(2012-2016)
Year 2012. 2013. 2014. 2015. 2016.
Aected areas by re in state
forests (ha) 5108 326 52 688 261
Aected areas by re in
private forests (ha) 2352 235 232 139 35
Source: Done on the basis of the data of the Republic Statistical Ofce
The economic consequences of forest res primarily depend on the amma-
ble surface area, i.e. of the total area of forest land affected by the reworks, as
well as from the damaged volume of wood mass. Table 6. shows and analyzes
data related to the total volume of damaged wood mass as well as the volume by
one forest re in the state forests of Serbia in the period 2012-2016.
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Indicator State and Analysis of Damage to Forest Fires on the Territory of the Republic of Serbia
for the Period from 2012-2016 Years
Table 6. The total and damaged wood mass by re in the state forests of Serbia for the period
from 2012. to 2016
Year Number of res Damaged wood
mass (m3)
Damaged wood mass
by one re (m3)
2012. 282 30 377 107.72
2013. 43 7 178 166.93
2014. 12 9 606 800.50
2015. 47 2 479 52.74
2016. 30 36 600 1 220.00
Total 414 86 240 2 347.89
Annual average 83 17 248 469.578
Source: Done on the basis of the data of the Republic Statistical Ofce
In the observed period from 2012 to 2016, the total damaged volume of
wood mass in the state forests of Serbia amounted to 86 240 m3, with an annual
average of 17 248 m3. The smallest damaged wood mass was recorded in 2015
with 2 479 m3, and the largest last year of the ve-year period, in 2016, when the
damaged wood mass amounted to 36 600 m3. Taking into account the data on
damaged wood mass by one re, we can conclude that the total damaged vol-
ume in the period from 2012-2016. amounted to 2 347 m3, with an annual aver-
age of 469 m3 of damaged wood mass per re. The least damage was recorded
in 2015 when damage to the volume of wood mass by one re was 52 m3 and the
highest in 2016 with 1 220 m3 of wood mass.
According to the regions in the observed ve-year period, the largest dam-
age to the wood mass in the total amount in the state forests of Serbia has the
region of South and East Serbia with a total damaged wood mass of 46 790 m3.
Then follows the region of Sumadija and Western Serbia (39 309 m3), the region
of Vojvodina with 127 m3 and the Belgrade region with only 14 m3 for the period
2012-2016. Analyzing the data by years, it can be concluded that in 2012, the
year of the largest number of res occurred, the region of Sumadija and Western
Serbia predominated from the region of South and East Serbia by damaging the
wood mass in relation to 29 497 m3 according to 785 m3. Signicant damage in
this region was recorded in the next 2013. During 2014, the forests in the region
of South and East Serbia (8705 m3) were most affected, as well as in 2016 with
the only and the largest damaged wood mass of 36 600 m3. The Belgrade region
recorded the largest damage in 2014 with 14 m3 of wood mass, and the region of
Vojvodina in 2012 with 95 m3.
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Graph 3. Damaged wood mass by region in the total amount of state forests in Serbia for the
period from 2012 to 2016
Source: Done on the basis of the data of the Republic Statistical Ofce
Depending on the type of trees, forests have a different degree of re risk.
Due to the sensitivity to ignition and burning because of the presence of resin
and essential oils, coniferous forests are most endangered by forest res, fol-
lowed by mixed, and at the end by deciduous forests. Based on the analyzed
ve-year period in Table 7, data on damages in state forests of Serbia according
to types of forests caused by res (terrestrial and high) are presented. It can be
noted that terrestrial res in the ve-year observed period caused damages in
the forests in total amount (deciduous and coniferous) 2135 ha. Thereof, 1624
ha were damages in deciduous forests, 325 ha per year on average, and 511 ha
in conifers, 102 ha per year. If we look at the share in percentage, it is 27.3%
for the deciduous, and for coniferous forests it is 8.6%. As they capture larger
areas, whole trees, high res supported by the wind widen their effects and
thus destroy primarily coniferous forests. For the period from 2012 to 2016, high
res affected coniferous forests in the total amount of 3385 ha, unlike decidu-
ous forests with 428 ha of total area. The presence of high res in a percentage
of 11.38% belongs to coniferous forests, while damages in the deciduous forests
belong 7.2% of the total amount. The largest number of res occurred in 2012
when terrestrial and high res damaged a total of 4387 hectares of coniferous
and deciduous forests. Another signicant year in terms of forest damage was in
2013 with a total of 787 ha damaged forest fund in res, and the smallest damage
is in 2014 with 15 ha damaged deciduous and coniferous forests according to the
cause of the damage.
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Indicator State and Analysis of Damage to Forest Fires on the Territory of the Republic of Serbia
for the Period from 2012-2016 Years
Table 7. Damage in the state forests of Serbia, by types of forests for the period from 2012 to 2016
Year
Terrestrial High
Total
Deciduous
forests
Coniferous
forests
Deciduous
forests
Coniferous
forests
2012. 683 107 411 3186 4387
2013. 447 167 10 163 787
2014. 1 13 - 1 15
2015. 257 210 7 26 500
2016. 236 14 - 9 259
Total 1624 511 428 3385 5948
Annual average 324.8 102.2 85.6 677 1189.6
% 27.3 8.59 7.19 11.38 100.00
Source: Done on the basis of the data of the Republic Statistical Ofce
Conclusion
Uncontrolled spread of re in 95% of cases was caused by human factor.
Forest res supported by the wind undoubtedly capture large areas and on that
occasion represent the most extreme form of complete destruction of forests or
devastation. Due to its catastrophic consequences, the problem of the appear-
ance of forest res has been on the rise in recent years. We are witnesses of
change in climatic conditions (increasing air temperature, decreasing precipita-
tion and increasing air ow rates) that increase the risk of re and spread. Based
on the facts about the state of forest res in the state forests of Serbia for the
period from 2012 to 2016, we can conclude the following:
• In the observed ve-year period, 414 res with affected area by re of
9,428 ha and damaged wood mass of 122,890 m3 occurred, where the
number of forest res ranged from 12 in 2014 to 282 recorded in 2012,
with numerous oscillations in the next years until the last recorded 30
in 2016.
• The region of South and East Serbia had the largest area of re damaged
during 2012, when the affected area by re in the state forests of Serbia
amounted 3510 ha, 1316 ha in Sumadija and Western Serbia, and the
largest affected area by re of 227 ha was recorded in Vojvodina region.
• At an annual average, 65 terrestrial res and 18 high res occur on aver-
age. Most cases occurred in 2012 in the total amount of 282 res, where,
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Collection of Papers - Faculty of Geography at the University of Belgrade 66 (2)
according to the place of origin, terrestrial res participated with 211,
and high res with 71.
• In the period from 2012 to 2016, the total damaged volume of wood
mass in the state forests of Serbia amounted to 86 240 m3, with an annual
average of 17 248 m3. According to the regions in the observed ve-year
period, the largest damage to the wood mass in the total amount in the
state forests of Serbia has the region of South and East Serbia with a total
damaged wood mass of 46 790 m3. Then follows the region of Sumadija
and Western Serbia with 39 309 m3, the region of Vojvodina 127 m3 and
the Belgrade region with only 14 m3.
• Terrestrial res in the ve-year observed period caused damages in for-
ests in the total amount (deciduous and conifers) of 2135 ha, and high
res 3813 ha.
Increasingly frequent occurrences of forest res, which beside the forest
destroy agricultural crops, threaten populated areas and human lives, requires
organized and planned monitoring of those elements that inuence the occur-
rence of re and the taking of appropriate preventive measures of protection. It
is certain that various types of education, especially younger populations, can
help to spread awareness of the importance of forests and the effects of forest
res, as well as the denition of stricter legal regulations for timely response in
the event of a widespread re.
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