The fire that broke out on Visibaba hill near Karlobag on August 14 caused many challenges for firefighting services, and controversies arose due to the alleged non-involvement of the Karlobag Volunteer Fire Brigade (DVD) in the firefighting action.

Start of the fire and response of firefighting services
The Gospić Public Fire Department (JVP) received a report of the fire in the early morning hours, precisely at 06:07, when the flames engulfed the Visibaba hill near the village of Ravni Dabar. The fire quickly spread to the grass cover, low vegetation, and scrub, and firefighters immediately faced the challenge of inaccessible terrain. The intervention required rapid action, so in addition to ground forces, two Air Tractor firefighting aircraft were engaged to suppress the fire from the air.

To assist in extinguishing the fire on the difficult-to-access parts of the hill, a Mi-171 Sh helicopter from Divulje was also involved in the action, delivering suspended water containers, known as "pears," and additional equipment for the firefighters. Due to the coordinated actions of aerial and ground forces, the fire was brought under control by 14:00, and the aircraft were withdrawn from the intervention.

Fire site remediation and community reactions
After the fire was localized, ten firefighters from the Gospić Public Fire Department remained on the ground with three vehicles to continue extinguishing and securing the area from potential flare-ups. However, despite the successful intervention, the local community expressed dissatisfaction due to the alleged absence of the Karlobag Volunteer Fire Brigade from this action.

Several locals pointed out that DVD Karlobag, despite its proximity to the event site, did not participate in extinguishing the fire, sparking a debate about their role and responsibilities. Given these complaints, we contacted the Croatian Firefighting Association, JVP Gospić, and DVD Karlobag, and we are awaiting official responses to clarify this situation.

Importance of firefighting services coordination
This event opened a broader discussion on the need for better coordination between different firefighting units in the Lika-Senj County. Although the intervention by JVP Gospić was successful, the question of the optimal use of all available resources, including volunteer fire brigades, arises as crucial. Ensuring a quick and effective response in emergency situations, especially in hard-to-reach terrains, requires clearly defined protocols and cooperation from all involved parties.

Next steps and expectations
In the coming days, official responses from institutions regarding the reasons for the possible non-involvement of DVD Karlobag in this specific intervention are expected. This situation highlights the need for better communication and cooperation among firefighting services to avoid similar misunderstandings in the future, ensuring the safety of the local population remains at the highest level.