A massive wildfire, sparked Thursday evening near the village of Lokva Rogoznica, spread rapidly toward the tourist town of Omis and the hills around Split, engulfing roughly 1,000 hectares in less than four hours.
Local authorities confirmed that a combined total of at least one death and around 40 injuries were recorded, while 1,200 residents and visitors were evacuated. Ten people were admitted to intensive care in hospitals.
Croatia’s fire chief Slavko Tucaković described the blaze as “one of the worst” in the country’s history, noting that gale‑force winds fanned the flames as the fire raced toward homes and cars.
More than 300 firefighters were deployed overnight, battling thick smoke, towering flames, and obstacles that forced crews to retreat in some areas while vehicles were abandoned directly in the fire zone.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenković visited the affected area on Friday, commending the emergency crews and emphasizing the need for caution amid ongoing heatwaves and wildfire threats across Europe.
The incident follows a series of large continental wildfires, highlighting the growing challenges of fire control in increasingly dry, hot conditions.
