This year Croatia has seen an increase in wildfires of 74 percent compared to 2021, Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said on Wednesday, at a meeting focusing on ways to reduce the risk of forest and farmland fires.

Speaking at the meeting, held at the Fire Command Centre at Divulje in Split County, Bozinovic said that Croatia was lucky to have a 150-year-old firefighting service which the state was helping with everything not directly related to putting out fires.

Agriculture Minister Marija Vuckovic said that data on neglected land and the state of forest infrastructure would be analysed, noting that 50 percent of funds for forest functions of general benefit was used for fire prevention and mine removal.

Amendments to the Farmland Act provide for the possibility of activating inactive farmland whose owners are not known or cannot be contacted, she said, adding that the ministry and local government units would consider the possibilities provided by the amended law.

The fire season has been very demanding on firefighters and equipment, chief fire commander Slavko Tucakovic said, adding that two days ago, there were 39 wildfires that were not reported about because they were put out quickly.

Tucakovic also noted that last week Croatian firefighters won two gold, one silver, and two bronze medals at the World Firefighting Olympics in Celje, Slovenia, which, he said, had never happened before.