Croatia to expand firefighting fleet

Croatia will buy five firefighting planes to improve its ability to cope with wildfires, Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said Sunday (July 29th). The country will get a Canadair water-carrying aircraft and three air tractor planes, Sanader said, adding that the government has earmarked 75m euros for fire-fighting activities this year. Local authorities said there were 850 outbreaks of fires in July, with 20 still burning in the Adriatic region. According to Sanader, none of the fires threaten tourist spots and the situation is under control.In other news, nine children were injured and hospitalized after their bus collided with a truck near Zagreb on Friday. The children were part of 30-member group heading to Hungary for a fencing competition. The two drivers were also hurt in the accident.