ZAGREB, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Croatian firemen got a blaze approaching the medieval town of Dubrovnik under control on Monday, but authorities feared more fires could flare up as winds strengthened.

Like many countries in southeastern Europe, Croatia has been fighting dozens of big fires which have devoured pine forests and scrubland in recent weeks amid a heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (100 F).

Dubrovnik authorities called a state of emergency on Sunday and warned residents they may have to be evacuated after a forest fire, which started three days ago in neighbouring Bosnia, neared houses in two of Dubrovnik's suburbs.

Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said Croatia might propose to the European Commission setting up a regional fire-fighting centre on Croatia's Adriatic coast.

"I will probably propose a regional centre which would coordinate fire-fighting actions in southeastern Europe. It would be based in Zadar or Divulje near Split," state radio quoted Sanader as saying.

Should the idea be approved, it would be financed by the Commission, he added.

Sanader hopes Croatia, which aims to join the European Union in 2010, could help coordinate efforts in the region, especially as many of the fires that hit Croatia this summer started over the border in Bosnia.

Last month Croatia sent an aircraft to Macedonia to help fight fires there.

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