Scores injured in wildfire sweeping Croatian coast
Zagreb, Aug 14
Nineteen people were injured as a massive wildfire swept through wooded and residential areas in southern Croatia's Split-Dalmatia County on the Adriatic coast, the Croatian Firefighters Association said Friday.
The fire broke out late Thursday in Lokva Rogoznica, near the coastal town of Omis, and quickly spread through grass, low vegetation and pine forest. The blaze approached residential buildings, with flames soon reaching several nearby settlements and destroying houses.
Around 1,000 people were evacuated from affected areas overnight, local authorities said.
More people are expected to evacuate across the affected areas, Omis Mayor Zvonko Mocic said, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The fire, which erupted at around 8:21 pm local time (1821 GMT) on Thursday in nearby Lokva Rogoznica, advanced overnight into the upper parts of Omis, directly threatening numerous houses and vehicles, Croatia's Hina news agency reported, quoting Viseslav Pesic, commander of the Omis Voluntary Fire Department.
Several houses and numerous vehicles were destroyed by the flames, and up to 1,000 hectares of land burned near Omis, said Slavko Tucakovic, the country's chief fire commander.
Several roads in the area were closed due to the wildfire, disrupting traffic along the coast.
As of Friday morning, 286 firefighters and 93 fire engines were battling the blaze, with reinforcements sent from several counties.
The destructive blaze comes amid a prolonged summer heatwave and severe drought across Croatia. Weeks of extreme temperatures have left vegetation tinder-dry, sharply increasing the risk of wildfires along the vulnerable Adriatic coast.
On Wednesday, Split, which is the second-largest city in Croatia, recorded its highest-ever air temperature, with temperatures reaching 39.7 degrees Celsius at 2 pm local time (1200 GMT), according to the Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service. The reading surpassed the previous record of 39.5 degrees Celsius, set on June 30 this year.
In eastern Croatia, rivers including the Danube and Drava have fallen to their lowest levels due to scarce rainfall and reduced snowmelt from the Alps. Persistent low river levels have disrupted cargo shipping on the rivers.
According to the Croatian Firefighting Association, the number of open-air fires was about 13 per cent higher than in the same period last year.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The Adriatic coast is so beautiful, and it's painful to see it burning. These heatwaves and droughts are becoming alarmingly common globally. I hope the Croatian authorities manage to control this quickly and that international aid reaches them if needed. Also, hats off to the 286 firefighters—true heroes in action! 🇭🇷❤️
Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it's here and now. Croatia is suffering the consequences of inaction. It makes me think about how our own country handles such disasters. We often see similar scenes in Himachal or Uttarakhand. Let's hope global leaders take this seriously before it's too late.
This is beyond sad. The Adriatic coast is a tourist hotspot, and I can't imagine the economic impact on the locals. But first priority is safety. Praying for all those evacuated and the fire crew. 39.7°C in Split is insane! Global warming is hammering Europe hard this summer.
The Danube at its lowest levels, rivers drying up, and now this wildfire—Europe is in deep trouble. It's alarming to see how our planet is heating up. I just hope the 1,000 evacuated people are safe and can rebuild their lives soon. Bulgaria, Romania, and Croatia all need our support. 🌍🌡️
Firefighters are risking everything while the rest of the world watches. It reminds me of the devastating Australia wildfires. Our governments must collaborate on climate resilience and disaster management. Senseless loss of homes and land—nature is sending
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