Firefighters wage a tough battle against a blaze threatening to spread toward Džepska Mountain and Sarajevo Canton. Commander Makan warns of a critical shortage of aerial firefighting resources and calls for a systemic solution.
A large forest fire in the Konjic area has once again spiraled out of control, with thick smoke blanketing the hills above the town. Firefighters are battling the blaze on extremely inaccessible terrain, and Nedim Makan, commander of the Fire Station within the Konjic Civil Protection and Firefighting Service, warns that the situation is critical.
According to the report from the Operational Center of Civil Protection of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNK), the situation on the ground was assessed as severe this morning. The fire has spread above Gornja Kanjina, while the right flank is moving toward the area above Živašnica. "The fire is spreading toward Džepska Mountain and could even reach Sarajevo Canton. Currently, homes are not threatened. We managed to contain and localize the area near residential buildings and infrastructure," Makan told N1.
The commander explained that the escalation occurred after the fire breached the left flank of the containment line. "We had the fire localized, both the right and left flanks, but there was a breach on the left flank. There, the fire got out of control yesterday around nine o'clock," Makan said. Firefighting efforts are further hampered by strong winds and difficult terrain. Regarding the cause of the fire, the commander did not want to prejudge the investigation results but noted that firefighters, based on the information they have, believe "this is not a human factor."
Due to the challenging terrain, ground-based firefighting is extremely dangerous. "Aerial firefighting resources are needed here to calm the fire so that we can then enter with ground forces. Currently, a pine forest is burning. This is a high-intensity fire, and entering with ground forces is tantamount to suicide," Makan warned.
During yesterday, between 3:00 PM and 4:30 PM, two Air Tractors conducted two passes each over the affected area. However, due to simultaneous fires at other locations, they could not continue the intervention. "If we had had aerial assistance last night, I can responsibly claim that this fire would not have spread. But unfortunately, that is our situation," Makan said.
Makan praised the cooperation with the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, saying their pilots "do as much as they can," but emphasized the need for a systemic solution. "In BiH, we need this issue to be taken seriously once and for all, and to procure aerial firefighting resources that are truly suitable for extinguishing fires from the air," he urged.
He also reflected on years of failed attempts to procure specialized aircraft such as Canadairs and Air Tractors, stating that cantonal procurement is not sufficient. "Why they don't have them and why the state doesn't procure suitable aircraft for firefighting is another matter. It's not up to us," he said. "I see that all cantons are now procuring them, but I don't think that's a systemic solution. In my opinion, the Armed Forces should be equipped with firefighting aircraft for open-space fires," Makan concluded.
In addition to the large forest fire in Kanjina, Konjic firefighters also responded to two separate fires along the railway line near Vrbići and Ovčari during the night, from 11:55 PM to 1:45 AM. In the village of Bijela, they also extinguished a garbage container fire that spread to surrounding grass and low vegetation.
The situation in the Neum municipality is also severe, as a forest fire is active on Vrando hill, above the villages of Glumina, Lastva, and Međugorje. In the last 24 hours, a large number of fires have been recorded in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton. Makan appealed to citizens not to light fires in the open and urged drivers to allow unimpeded passage for firefighting vehicles. "If you light a fire now, it will get out of control," he warned.
