Wildfire along Croatia’s Adriatic Coast Claims One Life and Injures Dozens
At least one person died and around forty others were injured after a severe wildfire tore through cities on Croatia's coastline on Thursday night and Friday morning. The blaze broke out near the village of Lokva Rogoznica on Thursday evening and spread quickly toward the nearby tourist town of Omis, just 6 km (7 miles) away.
About 1,200 residents and tourists were evacuated, while 10 people were in intensive care in hospital, the prime minister said. Croatia's fire chief Slavko Tucaković described it as "one of the worst" blazes in the country’s history.
Villages near the Adriatic city of Split were struck by the blaze, which coursed through pine forest‑lined hillside, causing extensive damage to homes and cars. Tucaković said the firestorm burned through "everything in their path" as officials confirmed flames, fanned by strong winds, engulfed 1,000 hectares in just four hours.
More than 300 firefighters were deployed overnight on Thursday, with crews sometimes forced to retreat as the fire advanced. Footage shared online shows thick smoke and huge flames tearing through surrounding vegetation, turning the sky red, as stranded residents and tourists looked on. Some people were forced to jump into the sea from boats to escape the fire.
Emergency shelters were opened in several towns along the coast, as evacuations continued throughout the night. On Friday, officials confirmed that a body had been discovered in a burnt‑out area as emergency services continued searching affected zones.
Later on Friday, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković visited the affected area, praising the work of emergency crews. He said the fire had spread at "lightning speed" and with "gale-force winds" and added that what firefighters had managed to save was "truly a miracle".
The impact of this blaze is part of a broader series of wildfires affecting Europe amid extreme heat and dry conditions, stressing firefighting resources across the continent from Greece to Germany and the UK.
