BELGRADE: As blistering summer heat sweeps across the Balkans, poorly managed and illegal dumpsites are bursting into flames, sparking wildfires and smothering towns and cities with toxic smoke.
The municipal Golo Brdo dump, deep in the lush forests of southeast Serbia, burned for days after it ignited under the scorching sun in early July.
In the small town of Lukare, about seven kilometers (4.3 miles) from the blaze, the air became foul and unbreathable.
Local children were kept indoors for fear of the deadly diseases that many people nearby already suffer, resident Haris Ibrahimovic told AFP.
“Honestly, no one cares whether we’re exposed or not,” Ibrahimovic said, frustrated by the inaction and poor monitoring by the local government.
