Fire continues to rage at Rujiste as Air Tractor joins firefighting efforts

The fire, which has spread through dry grass and low vegetation, expanded rapidly due to strong winds and the challenging terrain. An Air Tractor firefighting aircraft was officially deployed on Sunday morning to assist ground crews by targeting the most inaccessible parts of the fire zone.

Members of the Mostar Professional Fire Department, assisted by volunteers and local residents, spent Saturday and the night fighting to stop the flames from reaching nearby homes and holiday cottages.

According to the fire department, the situation remains serious despite improving compared with the most critical hours overnight. Firefighters managed to divert the advancing fire front and successfully protected residential buildings from the flames.

However, the wildfire has not yet been fully contained. Strong winds and extremely dry conditions continue to pose a significant risk of flare-ups, with firefighting teams remaining deployed along defensive lines across the affected area.

The Rujiste wildfire is only one of several active fires in the Mostar area.

The Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Civil Protection Operational Centre reported that firefighters have been responding to blazes at several locations over the past 24 hours, including Bišće Polje, Gnojnice, Baćevići, Sretnice, Žovnica and Polog.

Adding to the pressure on emergency services, a fire also reignited overnight at the Uborak landfill near Mostar.

Authorities say that continued aerial support, together with the efforts of firefighters and local volunteers on the ground, will be crucial to bringing the wildfires under control.