Wildfire kills one, injures 40 in Croatian resort of Omis as blazes spread across Europe

Fire breaks out and overwhelms coastal towns

A wildfire broke out on Thursday evening in Lokva Rogoznica, a small tourist settlement on Croatia's Adriatic coast roughly 20 km south of Split, and spread rapidly through pine forests toward the nearby town of Omis. Driven by strong winds that shifted direction throughout the night, the blaze scorched between 900 and 1,000 hectares, destroying homes, restaurants, cafes, vehicles and boats along a coastal strip roughly 10 km long. A local resident told national broadcaster HRT that the fire covered 12 to 15 km in an hour and a half. Fire damage to houses was reported from at least six other locations. By Friday morning, the fire in Omis itself appeared calmed with no open flames, but flames reappeared on nearby mountain slopes in the afternoon. A new fire also broke out Friday morning on the Peljesac Peninsula, about 140 km to the south, where four Canadair water-bombing aircraft were sent.

Casualties and evacuations

Croatian police discovered a body on Friday in a residential area in Stanici. At least 40 people were treated for injuries, with sources reporting between 7 and 10 in serious or intensive care. Six adults and a 17-year-old adolescent were intubated, according to one report. Four Polish citizens were among those affected, with one in intensive care and three released from hospital, according to Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maciej Wewior. The Polish consul is providing support, including help with insurance documentation for destroyed vehicles and organising return travel. Between 1,200 and 2,000 people were evacuated, with many sheltered in a sports hall in Omis. The town of roughly 14,000 residents was hosting some 12,000 tourists at the time.

Firefighting response and official reaction

Nearly 300 firefighters and 93 vehicles fought the blaze through the night, after an initial deployment of 157 firefighters and 44 vehicles. Chief Fire Commander Slavko Tucakovic described the night as one of the most difficult he had experienced and called the blaze one of the worst in Croatia's history.

It was a terrible night, one of the hardest I have lived through. It is one of the worst fires in Croatia's history.

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic visited the area on Friday morning and praised the firefighters' efforts.

This fire spread at lightning speed. What the firefighters managed to save is a miracle.

Plenkovic said the government would provide financial aid to repair material damage. Defense Minister Ivan Anusic confirmed the army was ready to intervene if requested by civil protection authorities. Police are investigating whether the fire was deliberately set, as no natural cause has been determined. President Zoran Milanovic also visited the area and called it a "terrible" day.

Broader European wildfire crisis

The blaze in Croatia is part of a wider pattern of wildfires stretching across Europe amid heat and drought that scientists link to climate change. In northern Greece, more than 300 people were evacuated by boat from the seaside town of Siviri, with 140 firefighters, nine aircraft and seven helicopters deployed. In France, 525 people were evacuated from the village of Luglon in the southwestern Landes region. In Spain, authorities removed the remains of three 11th-century kings from a monastery threatened by fire. A grass fire also engulfed houses in England. The EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service warned of "very extreme" wildfire conditions across central and eastern Europe, with additional pockets over southern Britain.

Croatia's wildfire season

The Croatian Fire Association (HVZ) reported approximately 3,900 forest fires since the start of 2026, destroying almost 10,000 hectares, a 75% increase compared to the same period in 2025. Croatia has been experiencing a prolonged heatwave with temperatures exceeding 40°C, with record temperatures recorded in several Adriatic coastal cities including Split.