LocationsPROTECTING NATURE, REDUCING RISK
BEFORE THE NEXT WILDFIRE
October 6, 2026
Wildfires threaten more than forests.
They put biodiversity, communities and livelihoods at risk.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, recent fire seasons are reinforcing a simple lesson: resilience needs to be built before the first flame appears.
Over the past five years, wildland fires have affected more than 228,000 hectares across Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to satellite mapping by the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). In the first six months of 2026 alone, another 20,000 hectares were affected – the largest burned area recorded in the Western Balkans during that period.
And the fire season did not end there. Through the summer and into September, major fires continued to challenge communities and emergency services across the country.
Behind these numbers are forests and habitats, communities and livelihoods – and ecosystems that can take decades, sometimes centuries, to recover.
National Park Sutjeska
Imrana Kapetanović
When what is lost cannot simply be replaced
Few places illustrate what is at stake better than Sutjeska National Park.
Wildfires in 2024 showed just how vulnerable the area can be. As the flames advanced, concerns grew that they could spread towards Perućica – one of Europe’s last remaining primeval forests.
Some trees in Perućica are around 300 years old. The forest is home to more than 170 species of trees and shrubs and over 1,000 species of herbaceous plants, including many endemic species.
A forest like this cannot simply be rebuilt after a fire.
Protecting it means looking beyond emergency response. Wildfire prevention is also about protecting biodiversity, adapting to a changing climate and reducing disaster risk.
The 2024 wildfire in Sutjeska National Park highlighted the vulnerability of the area and the risks to its unique natural heritage, including the Perućica primeval forest.
Illustrative photograph | Source: Canva
From fighting fires to managing risk
Across Bosnia and Herzegovina, institutions, protected area managers, emergency services and communities are working to strengthen preparedness.
Forest Fire Prevention and Response Action Plans have been developed for five protected areas: Sutjeska, Kozara and Drina national parks, Orjen Nature Park and Skakavac Nature Monument. They bring together prevention and response – from equipment and training to awareness, coordination and community action.
Protected area authorities have received protective firefighting equipment, mobile water tanks, pumps and radio communication systems, as well as a drone equipped with a thermal camera. These tools support prevention, early warning, detection and rapid response.
At Sutjeska, a reconstructed water reservoir at Prijevor will provide a reliable water source for firefighting in the remote mountain areas around Perućica, helping both ground and aerial teams respond more effectively.
But equipment is only one part of preparedness.
Equipment provided to strengthen wildfire preparedness and response capacities.
Imrana Kapetanović
Preparedness is about people, too
Effective wildfire response depends on people and institutions being able to communicate and act together.
At Sutjeska, specialized emergency communications training brought together protected area managers, firefighters, civil protection, forestry staff and other responders. This cooperation will now be tested through a wildfire simulation and will support the establishment of two community-based firefighting units.
Beyond protected areas, 35 volunteer firefighters in Bijeljina, Prijedor and Trebinje have been trained and certified, alongside investments in firefighting capacities in Trebinje, Mostar and Tuzla.
Fires do not follow institutional boundaries – and preparedness cannot either.
Strengthening local firefighting capacities – from better-equipped fire stations to modern vehicles and protective equipment for faster and safer emergency response.
UNDP
Before the smoke appears
Preventing wildfires requires more than firefighting equipment. It means early warning, healthy ecosystems, trained responders and communities that understand how to reduce risk.
Across protected areas, awareness activities are also showing what can be lost to fire and encouraging responsible behaviour and early reporting.
Protecting forests before the next wildfire means protecting biodiversity and communities – and safeguarding natural heritage that, once lost, may never fully return.
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UNDP's support for wildfire preparedness, biodiversity resilience and protected area management described in this story is provided through the Sustainability of Protected Areas (SPA) Project, financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Support to strengthen local disaster preparedness and firefighting capacities is provided through the joint Swiss UN Disaster Risk Reduction for Sustainable Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina Programme (JP DRR).
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