- A fast-moving wildfire in Omiš forced the evacuation of up to 2,000 residents and tourists.
- The blaze destroyed homes, vehicles, and holiday apartments in the Borak neighbourhood.
- Sections of the D8 Adriatic Highway were closed and parts of Omiš suffered power blackouts.
- Officials confirmed one fatality and at least 40 injuries.
- Firefighting units managed to calm the flames but resources remain stretched across the region.
A fast-moving wildfire has descended on Omiš, a prominent tourist town and resort area on Croatia’s Dalmatian coast, forcing the evacuation of up to 2,000 residents and tourists, and the wildfire started in the nearby village of Lokva Rogoznica. Fueled by strong shifting winds and a severe summer drought, the blaze expanded rapidly along the Adriatic coast. The main locations hit by the blaze include the primary resort town of Omiš where flames reached the Borak neighbourhood just above the town centre and directly destroyed homes, vehicles, and holiday apartments.
Coastal settlements of Lokva Rogoznica and Medići located 5 to 6 miles southeast of Omiš suffered initial fire eruptions and threatened structures. Nearby holiday villages of Stanići and Mala Luka suffered extensive damage to properties and dryland boats. Because the settlements are tightly pinned between steep mountains and the sea, escape routes were highly constrained. Evacuations were carried out by road and water, with harbour authorities using boats to pull tourists off threatened coastal strips. Over 1,000 displaced holidaymakers and locals were moved to the Ribnjak sports hall in Omiš and many were bussed out to the Gripe sports centre in the nearby city of Split.
Sections of the D8 Adriatic Highway, the principal coastal road linking Split, Omiš, and Makarska, were completely closed. Large parts of Omiš also suffered total power blackouts. Officials from the Croatian Firefighting Association have called this blaze one of the worst in Croatia’s history. Authorities have confirmed one fatality and at least 40 injuries, with several people hospitalised in Split with life-threatening conditions. By Friday morning, firefighting units managed to calm the open flames, though resources remain stretched across the region as a broader European heatwave continues.
