Romanian authorities on Tuesday told residents living near the Vacaresti Delta in Bucharest to evacuate after a wildfire broke out in the protected area affecting 15,000 square meters.
There were no immediate reports of injuries. It was unclear the extent of damage to the urban park.
Traffic was diverted Tuesday lunchtime as thick plumes of smoke spewed into a nearby residential area in the south of the Romanian capital.
The fire broke out in the urban delta _ one of the Europe’s largest natural parks_ after a dry period.
The fire broke out in the urban delta _ one of the Europe’s largest natural parks_ after a dry period.
Authorities issued a public warning Tuesday on the RO-ALERT system. „Wildfire in the Văcăreşti Delta. Avoid the area…. If you are in the vicinity, evacuate the area. Take shelter and protect yourselves,” it said.
It advised locals to go to to online media channels and applications for more information and updates.
The fire brigade dispatched 11 fire trucks to the delta. The blaze which spread over 15,000 sq meters was later extinguished, Pro-TV reported.
Vacaresti Natural Park is a wild wetlands in the middle of the Romanian capital. The government designated it an officially protected as natural area in May, 2016.
The communists wanted to build an urban water infrastructure against floods but it was abandoned after the revolution. Since then, it has been reconquered by nature and wildlife without any human intervention.
There are dozens of species of mammals, reptiles and birds including snakes, toads, wild ducks, weasels and otters as well as hundreds of species of trees and flowers in the 183-hectare park.
