ZAGREB, Oct 4 (Hina) - The wildfires which broke out in Croatia in this year's first eight months total 9,889, of which 8,318 were caused by negligence and carelessness. They burned over 118,000 hectares of land, with direct damage
estimated at 644 million kuna, a Croatian Fire-Fighting Union (HVZ) representative said. Representatives of the HVZ and the interior ministry briefed the press in Zagreb on Tuesday about the causes of the wildfires, fire-fighters' interventions, and methods of more effective fire-prevention, especially in the coastal regions. Of 9,889 wildfires, 7,180 broke out in the open, the majority on uncultivated land. Reporters were not told how many wildfires had been planted. The interior ministry's assistant chief fire-fighting commander Neven Szabo said the matter was in the competence of the crime police and that it would be addressed once data was processed. HVZ head Zeljko Popovic said the medi
ZAGREB, Oct 4 (Hina) - The wildfires which broke out in Croatia in
this year's first eight months total 9,889, of which 8,318 were
caused by negligence and carelessness. They burned over 118,000
hectares of land, with direct damage estimated at 644 million kuna,
a Croatian Fire-Fighting Union (HVZ) representative said.
Representatives of the HVZ and the interior ministry briefed the
press in Zagreb on Tuesday about the causes of the wildfires, fire-
fighters' interventions, and methods of more effective fire-
prevention, especially in the coastal regions.
Of 9,889 wildfires, 7,180 broke out in the open, the majority on
uncultivated land.
Reporters were not told how many wildfires had been planted. The
interior ministry's assistant chief fire-fighting commander Neven
Szabo said the matter was in the competence of the crime police and
that it would be addressed once data was processed. HVZ head Zeljko
Popovic said the media had "blown up" stories about terrorism in
connection with planted wildfires.
The wildfires were mainly caused by last summer's big heat,
abandoned fields, the fire-fighters' poor equipment, and the fact
that grounds, in the coastal areas especially, were not covered by
fire-fighting units, said Teodor Fricki, HVZ's vice president.
He said responsibility and money were imperative in fire-
prevention. A staggering 69 municipalities and 14 towns in coastal
areas have not one professional fire-fighting society which would
act as an "organised service for protection from fires" throughout
the year.
HVZ maintains the problem as far as money is concerned lies in the
fact that units of local government and self-government decide by
themselves how much to earmark for protection from fires. Funds
earmarked for fire-fighting decreased as budget allocated towns
decreased. Moreover, Croatian Forests, which must earmark five
percent for protection from fires, have been unable to remit the
funds owing to the fact that 83 municipalities and towns do not have
a fire-fighting society and consequently, an account.
Representatives of HVZ, the interior and defence ministries urged
that voluntary and professional fire-fighting societies pool
efforts and resources even more than before.
Croatia has about 60,000 fire-fighters and 2,314 professionals in
fire-fighting units. More than 200,000 people assist them,
according to HVZ data. Croatia also has 1,872 voluntary fire-
fighting societies.
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