A massive wildfire that swept through hills near the Croatian coastal town of Omiš forced the evacuation of around 2,000 people and left at least 10 in intensive care, in what the country’s fire chief called one of the worst blazes in Croatia’s history.
Fire crews battled through the night of August 13 into the morning of August 14 as the fire ripped through the Dalmatian coastline, damaging homes, destroying cars and boats, and sending walls of flame towards the town centre. Nearly 300 firefighters were deployed but were often outpaced by the blaze.
Flames Reach Town Centre
“This fire spread at lightning speed,” Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic told reporters during a visit to the area. “What the firefighters managed to save is truly a miracle.” He pointed out that the region was “very densely populated”, with a township of 15,000 people, currently bolstered by 12,000 tourists.
Hospital officials at Split hospital said 40 people had been admitted, including a German and Polish tourist. Ten of those patients were in intensive care, with seven fighting life-threatening injuries including severe burns. A 17-year-old girl was among the critically injured.
“It was frightening even to watch. Many houses, cafes, restaurants, cars, and boats that were on dry land were damaged,” fire chief Slavko Tucakovic told national radio.
As access reopened on the morning of August 14, the AFP news agency saw the blackened remains of burnt-out cars along roads near Omiš, some ringed by silver puddles of metal that had melted under the intense heat. Several buildings in the area had been completely destroyed.
Tourists Evacuated by Sea and Road
Hundreds of tourists were among those evacuated to a Red Cross shelter in a sports hall in Omiš. Smoke from the fire was visible from the islands of Hvar and Brac across the Adriatic. Four Canadair water bombers were deployed at dawn on August 14, and authorities said the situation had stabilised by mid-morning.
The fire burned through approximately 1,000 hectares of land on the Dalmatian coast, destroying homes, vehicles and boats in its path. Croatia’s fire chief described the blaze as “one of the worst in Croatia’s history”, noting that crews were often overwhelmed by the speed and intensity of the fire.
Sources: Euronews/AFP; Balkan Insight; Croatia Week; France24
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