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Unesco-listed site saved from fire
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By Agencies
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![More than 20 firefighters have been hurt tackling the fires [AFP]](http://mwcnews.net/images/stories/Europe/7/Unesco-listed.jpg "More than 20 firefighters have been hurt tackling the fires [AFP]") | | More than 20 firefighters have been hurt tackling the fires [AFP] |
Fire crews in Croatia say they have managed to stop a wildfire short of the resort of Dubrovnik where the authorities had declared a state of emergency.
Winds have fanned flames to the edges of the historic town, but the forest and scrub fires that have raged for days were believed to be under control late on Monday.
Aircraft dropped water bombs as a team of 250 firefighters and hundreds of volunteers worked to protect the Unesco-listed tourist spot.
Ivo Sanader, the prime minister, said he would ask for a report on Bosnia's ability to protect against fires as it was in the country that the blaze started.
"Depending on it we'll consider further steps," he said.
Twenty-six firefighters have been injured since Saturday fighting the fire that formed a 20km front on Sunday as it approached the town.
Some residents had been evacuated as a state of emergency was declared. Tomislav Vuko, the deputy fire chief, said: "In some areas we fought the blaze house-to-house. The damage could have been worse, but we were able to stop the fire injuring more people or damaging more property.
"We are satisfied with the outcome of this situation. Our forces have done a great job during the night and we have brought the fire under control along the entire front."
A heatwave across much of southern Europe in recent weeks has caused extensive forest fires from Greece to Italy and last week even in Spain's Canary islands.
About 2,300 hectares of forest and brush burned last month, the result of the heatwave that struck Croatia's Adriatic coast.
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Tags: Croatia Unesco
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