Helicopters and firefighters battle two large forest fires in Romania's Domogled-Valea Cernei National Park

In the Domogled-Valea Cernei National Park, an initial forest fire burned approximately 37 hectares and was tackled for fourteen days using a combination of ground crews and IGAv helicopters, which performed 676 water drops. After this fire was declared extinguished, a second, larger blaze erupted, affecting an estimated 400 hectares and persisting under challenging terrain. Over 270 firefighters, forest workers, and park officials have been engaged daily, while helicopters from the Ministry of Internal Affairs have executed 514 water drops and completed 25 missions, totaling nearly 155 flight hours.

The aerial operations rely on Bambi Bucket systems to reach areas inaccessible to ground teams. Ongoing efforts prioritize crew safety and adapt to the dry conditions that have heightened fire risk.