Croatia battles wildfires near residential area

Up to 300 Croatian firefighters are battling a wildfire near the popular tourist destination, Split, the country’s fire service said. Croatia's second-largest city, Split, has been fighting a fire that began on nearby mountains since Monday, which has scorched some 700 hectares. The Croatian Firefighting Association (HVZ) said the fire began in Žrnovnica, after a lightning strike, was under control but flared again after winds picked up. Nearby Canadair fire fighting planes and dozens of vehicles were used to extinguish the flames, which they had succeeded on doing. The region has seen above-average temperatures and dry conditions over the past month that have created ideal conditions for wildfires, scientists say. - Report from Reuters