Pursuant to a decision by the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and an order from the Minister of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a helicopter from the Air Force and Air Defence Brigade of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been deployed again today—Sunday—to extinguish a fire in the Blidinje Nature Park area.
In the morning hours alone, 11,000 liters of water were dropped on the fire site, and the deployment of Armed Forces assets will continue into the afternoon, in accordance with the requests and needs of civil authorities.
Aerial firefighting offers significant operational advantages—primarily precision—as it allows water to be directed straight at critical hotspots, including inaccessible terrain and the fire’s perimeter, which is particularly important in mountainous areas.
Speed and operational flexibility are additional benefits; the helicopter can draw water from various sources—such as lakes, rivers, and other suitable bodies of water—thereby reducing the turnaround time between individual drops.
Coordination with firefighting teams on the ground is of particular importance. The helicopter provides direct support to ground forces by dropping water ahead of the fire line and on other critical areas, contributing to more effective containment and localization of the fire.
Personnel from the Air Force and Air Defence Brigade of the Armed Forces of BiH are continuously at the service of citizens across Bosnia and Herzegovina, ready to respond to challenges and provide assistance where needed, in accordance with the law and decisions of competent institutions, the Public Relations Office of the Ministry of Defence of BiH announced.