Staff members of the Šabac Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church helped extinguish a forest fire that broke out on September 2 in woodland belonging to Tronoša Monastery in western Serbia.

According to the Šabac Diocese, the fire was brought under control quickly thanks to the coordinated efforts of employees of the diocesan institution “Monastic Forests,” residents of nearby villages and firefighters from Loznica. Their response prevented the flames from spreading to a larger area.

Preliminary information indicates that approximately 15 ares of forest were affected by the fire. The exact cause of the blaze has not been reported.

On September 4, Šabac Bishop Ieronim visited the site to assess the situation following the firefighting operation. The diocese expressed its gratitude to everyone who took part in extinguishing the fire and helped prevent it from spreading.

The Šabac Diocese also urged visitors to Tronoša Monastery and the surrounding forests to exercise particular caution amid high temperatures. Worshippers and pilgrims were asked not to light open fires, discard cigarette butts or engage in any activity that could cause a fire.

The monastery’s forests form part of the natural area surrounding the historic Tronoša Monastery. The diocese therefore called on visitors to act responsibly and help protect both the environment and the monastery grounds.

Dedicated to the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple, Tronoša Monastery was founded in 1317 and is now recognized as a cultural monument in Serbia. In the 18th century, the monastery was attended by the young Vuk Karadžić, who later created the Serbian Cyrillic alphabet known as Vuk’s alphabet (Vukovica).