OMIŠ, Croatia — A wildfire that ignited southeast of Omiš at around 8:20 p.m. Thursday swept through the coastal town overnight, injuring 36 people, burning between 900 and 1,000 hectares of land and forcing approximately 1,000 residents and tourists to flee their homes.
Fire Chief Slavko Tucaković said Friday morning that there is no longer any open fire in the Lokva Rogoznica and Omiš areas. He told Radio Sljeme that several houses, along with a large number of cars and boats, were destroyed in the blaze, and described the material damage as enormous. A full damage assessment has not yet been completed.
Strong winds pushed the flames toward Omiš within hours of ignition. By early Friday, the fire had reached the Borak area, directly above the town centre, with flames reported close to the heart of the settlement. Firefighters said the changing wind direction was making the situation especially difficult, spreading the fire in multiple directions simultaneously. Parts of Omiš lost electricity during the night.
A total of 157 firefighters and 44 fire engines were deployed across Lokva Rogoznica and Omiš through the night. Reinforcements arrived from several Croatian counties and from Zagreb after the national fire service ordered an emergency deployment of mainland units. Satellite imagery from the OroraTech system identified 200 hotspots across the burn zone as the fire spread from Lokva Rogoznica toward the coast and inland.
At Split Clinical Hospital, 36 people received medical attention for injuries sustained in the fire. Fourteen patients were admitted to hospital; the remaining 22 were treated and discharged for home care. Seven of those hospitalised were reported to have life-threatening injuries. Earlier figures had put the injured count at 19, rising as casualties came in through the night.
The Adriatic coastal road, known as the D8, was closed in the affected area. Traffic restrictions were also introduced on the Omiš bypass, with authorities advising drivers to use alternative routes. The Adriatic Highway remained shut Friday morning.
An evacuation centre was opened at Omiš's Ribnjak sports hall, where evacuees were provided with beds, food, water and other essentials. Authorities prepared additional accommodation in the nearby town of Makarska in case demand exceeded the hall's capacity. Tucaković said approximately 200 people were evacuated during the night, with the broader figure of around 1,000 reflecting total displacement across the affected zone.
Images from the area showed burned-out cars and damaged buildings as the fire reached residential streets. Tucaković confirmed that homes, vehicles and other structures were destroyed or damaged before crews managed to bring the flames under control by morning.
Omiš is a popular summer destination on the Dalmatian coast, positioned at the mouth of the Cetina river where it meets the Adriatic. The town draws large numbers of tourists during August, the peak of the Croatian summer season, which accounts for the high number of visitors among those evacuated alongside permanent residents.
Croatia has faced repeated wildfire outbreaks along its Adriatic coastline in recent summers, driven by dry conditions, high temperatures and the strong Bora and Jugo winds that characterize the region in summer months. Thursday night's outbreak — nearly 1,000 hectares burned and more than 150 firefighters deployed — ranks among the more severe single-incident fires to hit the Dalmatian coast in recent years, though Tucaković said the situation was calmer by Friday morning.
