Fire engulfs Omiš, burning homes and forcing mass evacuation

The coastal town of Omiš is reeling after a massive fire, which began in Lokva Rogoznica, raged through the area. Fueled by strong winds, the blaze consumed approximately a thousand hectares of land. It encroached dangerously close to the town center, destroying homes, other structures, and vehicles.

Emergency services were overwhelmed, with around two thousand residents evacuated by land and sea. The scale of the disaster is evident in the number of injured; 42 people received treatment at Split hospital. Fourteen were admitted, and eight of those remain in intensive care, reliant on ventilators. Among the critically injured is a 17-year-old, and two firefighters also sustained serious injuries.

The fire was not isolated to Omiš. Other parts of the Dalmatian coast, including areas near Zadar, Trogir, and on the Pelješac and Dugi otok peninsulas, also experienced significant blazes. The Dinara mountain, straddling the border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, was also engulfed in flames, highlighting the widespread nature of the disaster.