In brief
A severe wildfire erupted near the Croatian village of Lokva Rogoznica on Thursday night and spread quickly to the tourism town of Omiš, destroying homes, vehicles and destroying 1,000 hectares in less than four hours. At least one person was confirmed dead and roughly forty others were injured, with 10 in intensive care. The fire, described by the fire chief as one of the worst in Croatian history, was driven by gale‑force winds across pine forests strung along the Adriatic coast. Emergency shelters opened across coastal towns, while Prime Minister Andrej Plenković praised firefighters and noted the extraordinary efforts required to control the blaze. The incident reflects a broader trend of extreme summer heat and wildfire crisis across Europe.
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.
