STORY: Up to 300 Croatian firefighters are battling a wildfire near the popular tourist destination, Split, the country’s fire service said on Thursday (August 29).
Croatia’s second-largest city, Split, has been fighting a fire that began on nearby mountains since Monday, which has scorched some 700 hectares.
The Croatian Firefighting Association (HVZ) said the fire began in Žrnovnica, after a lightning strike on Sunday, was under control but flared again on Wednesday (August 28) night after winds picked up.
Nearby Canadair fire fighting planes and dozens of vehicles were used to extinguish the flames, which they had succeeded on doing on Thursday.
The region has seen above-average temperatures and dry conditions over the past month that have created ideal conditions for wildfires, scientists say.
