Are Wildfires Still Raging in Bosnia?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Wildfires have been ongoing for six days in southern Bosnia.
- Firefighting efforts are supported by helicopters.
- Residential areas are currently safe but remain at risk due to winds.
- Over 40 square kilometers of land have been affected.
- Authorities are preparing for a larger operation to extinguish the fires.
Sarajevo, July 12 (NationPress) In the Trebinje region of southern Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), wildfires have now persisted for six days, with flames active in certain mountainous areas and surrounding villages, according to local officials.
Firefighting crews, supported by helicopters from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska, one of BiH's two entities, have successfully stabilized the situation, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Authorities have confirmed that residential areas are currently safe; however, they cautioned that changing winds could reignite the fire.
Firefighting teams from neighboring cities, including Trebinje, Bileca, Nevesinje, and Herceg Novi, along with local volunteers and residents, remain on the ground. The blaze near the main road to Bileca has been largely controlled.
So far, over 40 square kilometers of land have been affected, leading to considerable ecological damage.
Milos Vucurevic, the commander of a local firefighting unit, indicated that while the current situation is manageable, rapid changes could occur due to winds.
The fire is ongoing near the village of Jasen, but there has been no threat to lives or property as of yet.
Authorities are gearing up for a larger operation aimed at extinguishing the remaining fire lines completely.
Meteorologists have reported that the heat wave affecting the Balkans is expected to subside in the coming days, as firefighting efforts continue across the region.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, forecasts indicate peak temperatures, complicating attempts to control a forest fire near residential areas in the southern city of Trebinje.