Dozens injured and thousands evacuated in Croatia wildfire

A deadly wildfire has ravaged Croatia's coastline, causing at least one fatality and leading to the evacuation of thousands, according to reports. The devastating blaze ignited near the village of Lokva Rogoznica on Thursday evening and swiftly spread towards the neighboring tourist town of Omis, situated 6km away. Emergency services have evacuated around 1,200 residents and tourists, while the prime minister reported that 10 individuals are currently receiving intensive care in hospitals.

Croatia's fire chief, Slavko Tucakovic, described the wildfire as one of the worst in the country's history, emphasizing the immense challenge faced by emergency crews. Croatia, like many other European nations, has been grappling with devastating wildfires following a summer of extreme heat and dry conditions. The fiery inferno swept through pine forests, causing extensive damage to homes and vehicles.

The firestorm raged for only four hours, consuming an area of 1,000 hectares. Over 300 firefighters responded to the emergency on Thursday night, but some had to retreat as the flames advanced rapidly due to strong winds. Gruesome footage shared online showed thick smoke and massive flames consuming the surrounding vegetation, turning the sky red. Some evacuees reportedly jumped into the sea from boats to escape the raging fire.

Emergency shelters were set up in several coastal towns as evacuations continued throughout the night. On Friday, Croatian authorities confirmed that a body had been found in a burnt-out area, and search efforts persisted. In an interview, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic acknowledged the rapid spread of the fire, fueled by gale-force winds. He praised the efforts of emergency crews, describing the rescue operations as a true miracle.

Firefighters across Europe have been struggling under intense pressure as wildfires continue to ravage the continent, exacerbated by extreme heatwaves. In Greece, more than 200 people were evacuated by boat from a beach resort due to raging wildfires. Similarly, more than 500 residents were forced to evacuate their homes due to a fire in the southwest Landes region, near an area already affected by previous wildfires.

Over 2,000 people were evacuated from the village of Gey in western Germany after a forest fire spread towards a village near the Belgian border. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom and Wales were issued an emergency wildfire alert, warning of a very high risk of wildfires nationwide as firefighters battled multiple blazes across the region.