Bosnia considering plea to help combat wildfires

View from the Bosnian military helicopter of the sunset on the hills hit by a wildfires near the village Glogosnica, 70kms south of Sarajevo, Bosnia on Thursday Aug. 30. 2012. Bosnian military helicopter helps fighting the raging wildfires in the southern Bosnian region as the area has been hit by record high temperatures and no rain. (AP Photo/Sulejman Omerbasic) (AP2012)

The deputy security minister says Bosnia is considering asking for international help to combat wildfires amid one of the hottest and driest summers on record.

A blaze around the southern mountain of Prenj has been burning for three weeks, leaving the area resembling a smoking volcano from the air. The fire was approaching the village of Glogosnica on the mountain's southeastern slope Friday, days after villages on the northwest slope were threatened.

Bosnia has no firefighting planes and is relying on its few army helicopters to combat the blaze, constantly maneuvering them from one spot to another as yet another fire breaks out. Residents are frequently forced into action, as firefighters are poorly equipped and exhausted.

Deputy Security Minister Samir Agic said Friday that international help may soon be needed.