”Croatia is grateful to you, you are its peacetime heroes“, told the Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Damir Krstičević the pilots and technicians of the air forces of the 93rd Air Base “Zemunik“ visiting them in the wake of an exhausting day. “In this worst firefighter season after the independence of Croatia you performed a miracle and prevented the fires from causing even bigger damage“.

“How many hours have you spent flying today?”, the Minister asked a pilot. “Seven”. “And you?”  “Six”. “I admire your efforts and wish to say that Croatia is grateful to you“; the pilots replied modestly by appreciating the Minister for visiting them.
Despite one of the hardest days in the firefighter season behind them,  the pilots did not seem tired but glad to know that they did their utmost. Although the fires were not extinguished through, they knew that they prevented the disaster which even threatened their own Air Base.  At nighttime, instead of resting, they followed the forecasts and prepared for the subsequent interventions. 
Their biggest adversary was bora, which not only fans the flames but aggravates or even prevents the engagement of aircraft.  Furthermore, the intensive firefighting also affected the aircraft and following the interventions the mechanics checked them throughout the night and rectified the faults to prepare them for the possible interventions the following day .
The engaged Army forces helped the firemen keep the fires under control. Their contribution has been crucial in the current but also in the past firefighter seasons and they have been regarded as peacetime heroes. This year 21 August  was the busiest day of the firefighting season, with the air forces dispatched to extinguish ten fires and more interventions on other locations as several fires merged into a blaze.
In addition to dropping a total of 1,000 water bombs – the biggest figure in a day so far – the fire forces also logged ca  90 flying hours in a 24-h span and dropped 4,000 tons of water. The gravity of the  situation was evident from the fact that 96 members of the Task Fire Fighter Forces of the Croatian Army were dispatched to the firesite at Lišnjak near Drniš and 72 more to the firesites at Kožlovac, Kolarna and  Lepuri near Benkovac.
As many  as 189 members were on alert in the barracks in Benkovac, Sinj, Knin and “Lora“ Navy Port in Split and 210 were stand-by in the barracks in Vinkovci, Petrinja, Gospić and Našice in the event of need.
As expected, the following day saw new fires breaking out in addition to the active ones, and all available forces and assets were engaged extinguishing the fires since the early hours. The “Hrvatski vojnik“ magazine team visited Promina, a locality near the town of Drniš where the fires threatened the settlements, requiring the engagement of the Croatian Armed Forces to assist the firemen and the air firefighter forces.
They were visited by the Defence Minister Damir Krstičević, who extended appreciation for the invested efforts :“We have been faced with a threat- open flame fires; I am glad  that  we have successfully defended Drniš and the area around Benkovac from fires , together  – in synergy and in partnership and with a huge contribution from the Government – just as we did in the Homeland War.  Some property has been lost to the fire but no house was caught in blaze and, most importantly, there have been no victims,” said Minister Krstičević, who also highlighted the Croatian people had the Croatian Armed Forces to rely on.
“The Croatian soldiers are always there for their nation; it is our obligation. The firemen and the pilots of Canadairs and Airtractors have done an excellent job: they are all our peacetime heroes assisting their people, to our great pride“
At the moment of the closing of the present issue of “Hrvatski vojnik“  the fires were still active,  but knowing our heroes, we are sure they will be put under control soon.