ZAGREB, 18 June (Hina) – Croatian firefighters and the Armed Forces are ready for the new wildfire season, with six Canadair aircraft, six Air Tractors and a helicopter available, it was said at a Croatian Firefighting Association press conference in Divulje on Thursday.

War Veterans’ Minister Tomo Medved said a meeting of the Coordination for the Homeland Security System was held on Thursday, adding that an Operational Firefighting Command had been established on 15 June, led by Chief Fire Commander Slavko Tucaković.

Medved said this year the burned area is already larger than in 2025. Firefighting units from the mainland have been deployed to the coast, covering an area from the Brijuni islands to Mljet.

A total of 224 cameras have been installed at 113 locations, enabling the Operational Firefighting Command to obtain a real-time overview of the situation on the ground. For this season, six Canadairs, six Air Tractors and a helicopter are ready for wildfire response, Medved said.

The coordination also discussed the issue of liability for private landowners in the event of fires.

“We have tasked the Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation with working with relevant sectors to establish a model for determining the responsibility of private landowners for fire prevention,” Medved said.

Tucaković said the entire firefighting system is ready for the season, with around 5,000 firefighters currently available in the coastal region.

Over the past five years, more than 600 vehicles have been procured, and a total of 10,224 firefighters have been fully equipped. By the end of the year, the delivery of 78 forestry vehicles, 149 pick-ups, 34 water tankers and 48 additional cisterns is expected.

The number of vegetation fires on the coast has increased by 40 per cent this year, while the burned area is up by 74 per cent. More than 5,700 hectares have already burned, Tucaković said.

“My message is that we must be cautious and do everything to prevent fires, smoke, flames and ash that can even reach the islands,” he said.

The armed forces are also prepared. Last year they carried out around 100 aerial firefighting sorties in the first six months, while this year the figure has already reached 500, suggesting a potentially more difficult season, said Brigadier General ЕЅeljko Ljubas.