Ljubljana - The newspaper Delo comments on the Kras wildfire, praising firefighters for their massive effort and noting that it must not be forgotten after the fire is put out as the status of voluntary firefighters remains unregulated.

Nothing unifies Slovenia like a natural disaster. Not only firefighters, but others rushed to help as well. "When people learnt that firefighters needed water and food, many collected a lot of food and and delivered it at their own initiative.

"Maybe each one of them felt that this was the least they could do to show gratitude to firefighters battling a hard battle with nature" for eight consecutive days.

The commentator wonders what drives firefighters to risk their lives to save homes of people they do not know. Is it altruism, humanity or something more complex?

Maybe the answer is very simple - somebody has to do it. "Go into an area scattered with unexploded ordnance from World War I, risk your life and put out the fire. So that we will all be well. That we will all be safe."

Locals hope that firefighters know how grateful they are. "Streets are lined with thank-you posters, people wave to passing fire engine convoys all day long."

We should not forget how they protected people and animals for days on end, when the fire is put out and debates about their status will start, the paper says under the headline Modest Thank You to Great People.