Mostar Air Tractors drop millions of liters to combat devastating wildfires in Herzegovina

The summer of 2026 underscored the critical need for aerial firefighting assets as persistent high temperatures, bone-dry vegetation, strong winds, and inaccessible terrain severely hampered ground crews. According to data released by Mostar Airport, the aircraft logged 248 hours and 12 minutes of flight time across the campaign. The volume of suppressant dropped is equivalent to roughly 468 standard firefighting tankers holding 5,000 liters each.

Operations began intensely in June, accounting for 51 flight hours, 247 operations, and 657,300 liters of water deployed. Intensity escalated through July with 607,100 liters dropped over 224 missions, before peaking in August. August proved to be the most grueling month, recording 318 operations, nearly 105 flight hours, and 921,900 liters of water used. Even early September brought little relief, with 46 operations and 151,800 liters deployed by September 9.

While ground firefighters remain the backbone of every intervention by protecting homes, infrastructure, and containment lines, the Air Tractors bridge a crucial gap by reaching terrain impassable to standard vehicles. Pilot Tomislav Grzetic noted that an aircraft can be reloaded with roughly three tons of water at the Mostar runway in an average of 55 seconds, allowing for rapid turnaround times that frequently prevent fires from consuming hundreds of hectares.

Building on a successful pilot project from the previous year, authorities expanded the initiative for the 2026 season by securing two higher-capacity Air Tractors backed by multi-level government cooperation. Operating across two entities and five cantons, the Mostar base has effectively transformed into a regional aerial defense hub, proving that such airborne resources are vital for safeguarding the landscape.