Devastating Wildfire Engulfs Croatia Coast, 40 Injured & 1 Death

On Thursday night, a wildfire erupted in the village of Lokva Rogoznica and rapidly spread toward the tourist town of Omis along Croatia’s Adriatic coast.

A wooden area is engulfed in flames near the town of Omiš
Wildfire near Omis

With gale‑force winds, the blaze consumed roughly 1,000 hectares of pine forest in just four hours, fanning flames across steep hillsides and swallowing vegetation, homes and cars.

Authorities evacuated about 1,200 residents and tourists, with ten people taken to hospitals in intensive care; one death was confirmed. The fire chief described the blaze as one of Croatia’s worst.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković visited the affected area on Friday, praising the emergency crews and noting the “lightning speed” of the fire due to high winds.

Firefighters across Europe are already under severe pressure from similar wildfires, with many battling blazing fronts across Greece, Germany, and the UK.