A major wildfire swept into the Croatian tourist town of Omiš on Friday, August 14, forcing hundreds of residents and tourists to evacuate and leaving at least 19 people injured as strong winds drove flames toward homes and vehicles along the Dalmatian coast.
The blaze spread overnight through vegetation and settlements around Omiš, a popular coastal destination surrounded by forested and rocky hills. Dramatic scenes showed flames illuminating the night sky as emergency crews worked to prevent the fire from spreading further into populated areas.
Emergency medical services treated 19 people, according to local reports. Two people suffering serious injuries were transferred to a hospital in Split, approximately 25 kilometres north of Omiš, regional governor Blaženko Boban said.
Croatia deployed 157 firefighters and 44 firefighting vehicles to battle the flames through the night, with additional teams arriving from several counties. Chief Fire Commander Slavko Tucaković described conditions between Lokva Rogoznica and Omiš as extremely difficult, with strong and changing winds complicating firefighting operations.
Authorities also closed a section of a major coastal highway because of the fire. Omiš opened its sports hall as an emergency shelter, accommodating around 1,000 people overnight, while a Croatian navy vessel was positioned nearby to assist with evacuations by sea if necessary.
The wildfire comes at the height of Croatia’s summer tourist season and amid a broader wave of extreme heat and fires affecting several parts of Europe. Successive heatwaves and drought have left vegetation particularly dry across southern Europe and the Balkans, creating conditions in which wildfires can spread rapidly.
The emergency in Omiš adds Croatia to a growing list of European countries battling significant wildfires this week, with major fires and evacuations also reported in France, Germany and Greece.
