Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky announced on Wednesday that Hungary is assisting a NATO ally in combating wildfires for the third time in a month. This time, the Hungarian Defence Forces (HDF) are participating in firefighting operations in Montenegro.

According to the minister, an Airbus H225M helicopter from the HDF’s József Kiss 86th Helicopter Brigade has departed from Szolnok. During the mission, the soldiers will use a “Bambi Bucket” water container to support Montenegrin authorities in bringing the flames under control.

The minister recalled that at the end of July, Hungarian troops provided similar assistance in Albania and Bulgaria, following extensive wildfires caused by extreme drought and heat. He stressed that the aim of such missions is to help allied nations swiftly contain the spread of fires and reduce their damaging impact.