Zagreb firefighters rerouted to Pelješac after Omiš wildfire improves

Thirty-three firefighters from Zagreb, along with 11 vehicles, were rerouted to the Pelješac peninsula on Friday morning after initially being dispatched to a wildfire near Omiš. The Zagreb fire department received the new orders around midnight, shifting their focus to assist firefighting efforts on Pelješac following an improvement in the situation near Omiš.

The fire near Omiš, which broke out Thursday evening in Lokva Rogoznica, spread rapidly due to strong winds. The blaze injured at least 36 people, with 14 hospitalized in Split, ten of whom are in intensive care. Approximately one thousand people were evacuated, and the fire consumed between 900 and 1,000 hectares of land. The Croatian Ministry of Defence reported that the Coast Guard participated in evacuating residents overnight.

Meanwhile, a new forest fire ignited Friday morning near Kuna Pelješka on the Pelješac peninsula. Fueled by strong winds, this fire also spread quickly. Firefighting forces from Pelješac, Korčula, the Dubrovnik Public Fire Department, and the Dubrovnik State Intervention Unit were dispatched. Four Canadair water-bombing aircraft, previously engaged near Omiš, were redirected to Pelješac, along with an additional Air Tractor.

Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević and City Assembly President Matej Mišić contacted the mayor of Omiš to offer assistance. The City of Zagreb expressed wishes for a full recovery for the injured and a swift return home and property restoration for residents of Omiš and Pelješac. They also wished the firefighters success in their tasks and a safe return.

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We wish all the injured a full recovery, and to the residents of Omiš and its surroundings, as well as the residents of Pelješac, we wish for the quickest possible return to their homes and the restoration of their property. We wish all firefighters success in completing their tasks at the fire sites as soon as possible and a safe return to Zagreb, as well as to other places across Croatia.