Croatia Wildfire Puts 10 in Intensive Care as 2,000 Flee Coast Amid 39.7C Heat

Q: With seven victims fighting for their lives, what sparked the catastrophic Croatian wildfire that forced tourists to leap into the sea?

The wildfire’s exact ignition source has not been publicly confirmed. What officials have said is that the blaze broke out late Thursday near Lokva Rogoznica, close to buildings, and then exploded through grass, low vegetation and pine forest. Strong winds, prolonged heat and severe drought were identified as the key factors that turned it into a catastrophe, pushing flames toward Omiš and nearby coastal villages at what Croatian leaders described as “lightning speed.” By Friday, authorities were still searching burned areas and managing the aftermath, with about 1,200 people evacuated and some residents and tourists forced to escape by boat or by jumping into the sea. Local and international reports said around 40 people were injured, including seven in life-threatening condition. So, while weather and landscape conditions clearly fueled the fire, no official account in the available reporting has established what initially sparked it. Investigators would typically examine whether it began accidentally or through human activity, but that had not been determined at the time of reporting.

3 articles · Updated · Euronews · Aug 14

At least 10 people were in intensive care after a fast-moving wildfire tore through the Omiš area overnight, with 40 admissions reported at Split hospital and dozens more injured.
Around 2,000 people were evacuated from nearby villages as flames damaged homes, destroyed cars and threatened a densely populated coastal zone hosting about 12,000 tourists.
Nearly 300 firefighters struggled to contain what Croatia's fire chief called one of the country's worst blazes, before four Canadair water bombers helped calm conditions by dawn.
The aircraft were then redirected to another fire on the Pelješac Peninsula, while shelters stayed open in Omiš, Split and Makarska for evacuated residents and tourists.
A Balkan heatwave is worsening drought and fire risk across the region; nearby Split hit 39.7C earlier this week, and fires were also burning in Montenegro and near Albania's capital.