Source: Dalmatinski portal
Responsibility lies in the hands of anyone who lights a cigarette, leaves a bottle on the ground, or does not put out the fire completely.
Summer is here, and with it the most risky period for our Mediterranean forests. While tourists and domestic visitors enjoy the beauty of our coast and hinterland, the responsibility for their preservation lies in the hands of anyone who lights a cigarette, leaves a bottle on the ground, or fails to put out a fire completely.
In early June, Croatian Forests and its partners launched this year’s national fire prevention campaign ‘There will be nothing – Negligence is the first spark’. Its message resonates particularly in Dalmatia, one of the regions that historically records the highest number of forest fires in Croatia.
Nine out of ten fires are caused by humans
Experts are clear, they estimate that human negligence is responsible for as many as 90 percent of forest fires. A discarded cigarette butt on the side of the road, a glass bottle left in the sun, an insufficiently extinguished fire after a barbecue seem like little things, but they can turn into a fire in a second.
The past year 2025 has shown that prevention works. According to data, the number of forest fires was 57 percent lower than the ten-year average. The burned area was as much as 86 percent smaller. Such results are not a coincidence, but a positive effect of continuous education, responsible behavior and investment in early detection systems.
222 cameras guard the forests, but they can’t do everything
Croatian Forests invest significant resources in technological protection: the video surveillance system with smoke and fire detection includes 222 cameras at 111 locations throughout Croatia, including coastal counties. Fire spread simulators enable faster coordination with firefighters, but even the most sophisticated system cannot replace the simplest, a responsible person who cares for nature.
What to do if you notice smoke?
Many witnesses to a fire think that someone else has already called for help, and this often erroneous assumption costs hectares of forest wealth annually.
If you notice smoke or fire, call 193 or 112 immediately. Every minute earlier can mean the difference between a fire being easier to extinguish and one that is more difficult to extinguish.
Stand around the forest
This year, the campaign invites citizens to actively participate. Through the ‘Be the eye of the forest‘ competition, which is being held on the social networks of Croatian Forests from June 11 to July 9, 2026. Over the course of four weeks, participants will face challenges that encourage them to capture important, interesting, and special scenes from the nature that surrounds them. Through the challenges, citizens have the opportunity to develop a connection with the forest, observe nature from new perspectives, discover its resilience, and create small gestures of care for the space in which they reside.
The ultimate goal of all the activities of the award competition is to develop a sense of personal responsibility towards nature, because it is precisely from a sense of care and connection that behavior that can prevent fires arises.
All fire prevention activities and materials related to the campaign ‘Nothing will happen – Negligence is the first spark’ can be found on the official website of Croatian Forests, as well as on social networks, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.
