Pluvial flooding (PF), resulting from intense short-duration rainfall events, is challenging in urban areas amidst climate change and rapid urbanization. Identifying flood-prone zones and implementing collaborative mitigation strategies with the local population are crucial aspects of PF management. This study aims to enhance the understanding of urban PF in Croatia by collecting historical PF data, creating the GIS-MCDA susceptibility model, and conducting a risk perception survey for the study area of Gospić. Susceptibility zones were generated utilizing topographical, environmental, and hydrological criteria using the AHP method. To examine the risk perception, a face-to-face survey was conducted among 5% of the city’s population (N = 64). Five factors were defined: (F1) risk awareness, (F2) anthropogenic and (F3) natural causes of PF, (F4) potential consequences, and (F5) preparedness. The reliability of the questionnaire was very high (>0.71). Most respondents believe they are ill-equipped to defend against flooding independently and express a lack of confidence in the measures taken by local authorities. The highly susceptible zones encompass not only agricultural areas but also residential zones of city. Among all respondents, 36% live in a flood-prone area and half of them have no flood insurance or other mitigation measures. Incorporating locals’ suggestions and problems, mitigation measures were proposed. Results from this research can be a starting point for further research in Croatia and can provide guidelines for decision-makers in implementing a risk mitigation strategy.

Every year the Republic of Croatia, especially in its south part in Dalmatia, faces forest fire risks. The weather is exceptionally conducive to fires, so the main period of fire occurrences is between June and October, characterized by long lasting dry and warm weather with temperatures over 30°C. Research carried out by the authors in 1997 and 2012 have pointed to the fact that human impact is the main cause of ignition. This paper presents an overview of the total number of fires in the period from 1998 to 2012, with the emphasis on forest and woodland fires in the Croatian region of Dalmatia. Data on the situation in Dalmatia refer to the situation in the areas of responsibility of four Dalmatian Police Administrations. Analysis is based on official data of the Croatian Ministry of the Interior and the report of the National councillor for managing and controlling forest fires. The authors have analysed the frequency of forest fires in Dalmatia in a period of fourteen years (1998-2012) comparing it with the previous period, 1989-1996. The results that the authors have obtained reveal how forest fires most commonly (2/3) break out during the warm part of a day, from 09.00 until 18.00 hours in the warm period of the year. Particularly vulnerable are the forests of Aleppo pines and maquis being mostly thermal forests, whilst in the south of the country the forests of Holm oak (Quercus ilex) and English oak (Quercus robur) are at the highest risk. Reforesting of burned areas is very slow and Croatia has been far behind in reforesting in the continental part of the country

Geoekološko vrednovanje reljefa Parka prirode Hutovo blato s aspekta njegove turističke i rekreacijske valorizacije provedeno je na temelju prethodne geomorfološke analize. U radu je promatran turizam i rekreacija kao sociološki elementi razvoja parka prirode Hutovo blato. Za postupak geoekološkog vrednovanja izdvojeni su reljefni oblici određenog stupnja atraktivnosti (vrhovi, padine, korita i dolinska dna, vododerine, područje oko Deranskog jezera, područje oko Svitavskog jezera i Svitavsko jezero), koji su vrednovani za sljedeće oblike rekreacije: šetnja, brdski biciklizam, rekreacijski biciklizam, promatranje ptica i krajolika te kajaking i kanuing. Stupanj pogodnosti reljefa za navedene vidove rekreacije određen je na temelju fizičke pogodnosti, estetske vrijednosti i dostupnosti. U postupku vrednovanja primijenjena je metoda relativnog vrednovanja reljefa. Provedeno vrednovanje ukazalo je na vrijedne i potencijalno vrijedne dijelove reljefa, ali i na one ograničavajuće elemente krajolika, zbog kojih pojedini dijelovi nisu do sada dovoljno turistički valorizirani. To se posebno odnosi na istočni i jugoistočni dio Parka s izraženim problemom fizičke pogodnosti i (ne)dostupnosti (udaljenost te nepostojanje ili neuređenost pješačkih staza, otežane plovnosti, nepristupačnosti obale obrasle vegetacijom). Predložene su moguće aktivnosti za povećanje geoekološke vrijednosti prostora (uređivanje infrastrukture za rekreacijski biciklizam, te obnova starih i uređenje novih edukativnih staza za šetnju i edukaciju na prostoru koji ima potencijal postati zanimljiv i atraktivan dio Parka prirode Hutovo blato).

Pluvial flooding (PF), triggered by intense short-duration rainfall events, poses a growing challenge in urban areas due to climate change and rapid urbanization. To mitigate the risk, it is imperative to identify flood-prone areas and implement mitigation strategies collaboratively with the public. This study aims to create a GIS-MCDA model of PF susceptibility zones based on topographical, environmental, and hydrological criteria and investigate the public perception of risk in Gospić. The survey included 5% of the city population (N=64), and data were obtained via face-to-face interviews. Five factors were examined: (F1) risk awareness, (F2) anthropogenic and (F3) natural causes of PF, (F4) potential consequences, and (F5) preparedness. All factors have moderate mean values, i.e., awareness, causes of PF, expectations of consequences, and preparedness is moderate. The reliability of questionnaire is very high (> 0.71). The PF susceptibility zones were derived with an accuracy of 76%. The most susceptible zone covers 10% of the city, including agricultural land, forests, meadows, and residential properties. Of all respondents, 36% live in the most flood-prone area. In conclusion, mitigation measures for decision-makers were proposed. Results from this research can be a starting point for further research in Croatia and guidelines for decision-makers in implementing a risk mitigation strategy.