Karavanke forest fires fought by air and ground crews

Firefighters battled a forest fire in the Karavanke mountains, specifically near Srednji Vrh in the Kranjska Gora municipality, which broke out late Friday night. The fire, likely caused by a lightning strike, covered approximately four hectares in a difficult-to-access area on the slopes of Belih peči.

Emergency response efforts included volunteers from Srednji Vrh, Gozd Martuljek, Kranjska Gora, Dovje, Mojstrane, Podkorna, and Rateče. Aerial support was critical, utilizing a Slovenian Army helicopter dropping water from Lake Jasna and three air tractor aircraft operating near Lake Bohinj. Overnight rainfall helped contain the flames, allowing crews to extinguish most of the fire by Saturday morning.

In a separate incident near Komno, firefighters from Bohinjska Bistrica dealt with an underground fire. During these operations, emergency responders reported difficulties with public cooperation, noting instances of disrespectful behavior from individuals hindering emergency vehicle access.