Wildfire near Croatian town of Omis forces 1,000 to evacuate, injures dozens

A wildfire driven by strong winds struck the tourist town of Omis on Croatia's Dalmatian coast overnight on 13–14 August 2026, forcing approximately 1,000 people to evacuate, injuring dozens, and causing what fire officials described as extensive material damage.

Of 36 people treated by ambulance services in the city of Split, 14 were hospitalised and seven sustained life-threatening injuries, according to health officials. Split lies roughly 25 kilometres (about 15.5 miles) north of Omis.

Emergency shelters opened across several towns between Omis and Split accommodated the roughly 1,000 evacuees overnight. The fire turned the night sky red above Omis, a town surrounded by trees and rocky hills, as flames spread through settlements and woodland.

Chief Fire Commander Slavko Tucakovic said the blaze had calmed by Friday morning with no open flames visible. He described the overnight situation as a strong fire that 'swept everything on its way,' adding that 'there has been huge material damage.'

In total, 286 firefighters, 90 fire vehicles, and four aircraft battled the fire through the night, according to Tucakovic. A stretch of a major coastal highway was also shut.

Goran Lović, the owner of a cafe near where the fire broke out in Lokva Rogoznica, told the Jutarnji List newspaper: 'Everything flared up in a second. It just happened all of a sudden, there was an open flame in the part where there is a forest and no houses.'

Part of the firefighting force and four aircraft were later redeployed to a separate fire further south on the Peljesac peninsula, a forested area known for its vineyards. Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic was travelling to Omis accompanied by several government ministers, according to local media.

Hot weather and drought, which scientists link to climate change, have created conditions for wildfires across Europe this summer, particularly in France, Spain, and Greece. The Balkans has also experienced several heatwaves. Separately, hundreds of holidaymakers fled a beach town in northern Greece by boat on Thursday as a blaze approached from nearby forest.

Where sources differ

• The two sources differ on the stated area burned: the New York Post reports 2,470 acres, while the Jerusalem Post reports 1,000 hectares. Note that 1,000 hectares is approximately 2,471 acres, so the figures are numerically equivalent but expressed in different units; neither source flags a substantive discrepancy.
• The two sources state the distance from Omis to Split differently: the New York Post gives 'about 15.5 miles,' while the Jerusalem Post gives 'about 25 km.' These figures are consistent conversions of the same distance and do not represent a factual disagreement.

• The cause of the fire has not been established in either source.
• The total number of structures destroyed or damaged is not specified.
• The identities or conditions of the seven people with life-threatening injuries are not provided.
• The current status of the separate fire on the Peljesac peninsula is not detailed.
• Prime Minister Plenkovic's statements or actions upon arriving in Omis are not reported.
• No comment from Croatian government officials beyond the Prime Minister's travel to the scene is included.

1. New York Post — original — by Reuters
2. The Jerusalem Post — by REUTERS

Read the original at New York Post

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