Forest fire forces thousands to flee and injures dozens in Croatia

At least 40 people, ten of them seriously injured, were hurt in a major forest fire that broke out Thursday night into Friday and spread to residential areas along the Croatian coast, causing severe damage and forcing more than 2,000 people to evacuate their homes, authorities said.

Croatia’s Fire Department chief Slavko Tokačević said Saturday morning that it was “one of the worst fires in Croatia’s history,” adding that the blaze had destroyed “between 900 and 1,000 hectares of land.”

The fire broke out in the evening in the coastal town of Rogoznica, fueled by strong winds. It initially consumed pine forests and vegetation before reaching homes in this tourist area, then spread for several kilometers to other towns and villages toward Omiš.

Forty people were transported to Split Hospital, according to hospital officials who spoke at a press conference. More than 2,000 people were evacuated to a reception center set up in a sports hall in Omiš.

Hina news agency quoted Dr. Josip Banović as saying that ten of those patients had been transferred to intensive care.

Around 300 firefighters participated in extinguishing the blaze overnight, but the fire was advancing faster than their efforts, according to their commander.

The Croatian Fire and Rescue Service said in a statement that several shelters had been opened in the nearby coastal cities of Split and Makarska.

Tomislav Gogo, director of the Red Cross in Split, said, “People have beds, bathrooms, toilets, and food, but it is difficult to predict how long this situation will last.”