Chief Fire Commander Tucaković warns that prolonged drought and high temperatures are the main culprits behind a dramatic surge in outdoor fires, which have also affected the continental part of the country.
From the beginning of the year to August 10, Croatian firefighters recorded a total of 29,358 interventions, of which as many as 8,832 were firefighting operations. Data from the National Fire Operations Center 193 show a worrying trend: compared to the same period last year, the total number of fires has increased by 7.62 percent.
The increase in outdoor fires is particularly dramatic, with 5,575 recorded this year, of which 3,897 were vegetation fires. Compared to the same period in 2024, outdoor fires have risen by 12.99 percent, vegetation fires by 23.40 percent, and the total burned area has increased by 75.06 percent. This year, flames have consumed 9,646 hectares, compared to 5,510 hectares in the same period in 2024.
Chief Fire Commander Tucaković directly links the rise in interventions to weather conditions. "The increase can be linked to weather conditions, namely a long dry period with high temperatures that dry out the vegetation cover. This year, we have also experienced several dry thunderstorms, which sparked multiple fires in a short period," he stated.
Despite the challenging season, Tucaković highlights the effectiveness of firefighting forces: "Despite the large number of fires, our firefighters and aerial forces acted successfully and extinguished most fires in a short time." The scale of the engagement is evidenced by the fact that firefighting aircraft have been deployed to 104 fire sites this year, with a total of 273 aircraft involved in operations. Last year, in the same period, aircraft were engaged in 58 interventions, with a total of 152 aircraft.
Unusually for this time of year, a large number of fires are also being recorded in the continental part of Croatia. The largest deployment of forces on August 11 was near Cernik in Brod-Posavina County, where a fire broke out in an open area. Forty-two firefighters with 12 vehicles from the Nova Gradiška Public Fire Brigade and volunteer fire departments (VFDs) Okučani, Gornji Bogićevci, Cernik, Dragalić, Rešetari, Nova Gradiška, and Ljupina participated in extinguishing the fire, which affected 100 hectares of grass and low vegetation. The operation was not completed until 4:36 a.m. on August 12.
On the same day, shortly after 1:49 p.m., a report of a fire in Kotoriba was received. Nine firefighters from the Kotoriba VFD with two vehicles responded and by 3:35 p.m. had extinguished a grass and low vegetation fire that had burned 5.5 hectares.
Zagreb firefighters were also busy. In Remetinec, a fire broke out at 12:41 p.m., affecting two hectares. Fifteen firefighters with seven vehicles from the Zagreb Public Fire Brigade and surrounding volunteer societies, including VFDs Hrašće, Blato, Odranski Obrež, Jarun, and Prečko, responded. The fire was extinguished by 5:46 p.m.
The coastal region was not spared either. In the evening hours of August 11, at 9:30 p.m., the Split-Dalmatia County Fire Operations Center received a report of a fire near Vinišća, where grass, low vegetation, and young pine forest were burning. Twenty-seven firefighters with 10 vehicles from the Trogir Public Fire Brigade and VFDs Marina, Seget Vranjica, Trogir, Okruk, and Slatine took part in the extinguishing operation. The fire was contained by 3:00 a.m. on August 12.
Shortly after, five minutes past midnight, the Dubrovnik Public Fire Brigade received a report of a pine forest fire in Dubrovnik. Thirty-two firefighters with 10 vehicles from the Dubrovnik Public Fire Brigade, the Dubrovnik Fire Service, and the Zaton VFD responded. Thanks to a rapid response, the fire, which affected 6,000 square meters, was contained by 1:45 a.m.
With forecasts of continued high temperatures, fire services are urging citizens to exercise maximum caution and remind them of the ban on open fires in nature. In case of fire, call 193 immediately.
