Brač wildfire calms after large night evacuations
More than 600 people evacuated overnight; firefighters keep remaining hotspots under control after fire active since 10 September.
A large wildfire on the Croatian island of Brač, active since 10 September, has eased significantly, with firefighters holding only small pockets of smoke and flame, authorities say.
Night evacuations and heavy firefighting response
More than 600 people were evacuated during the last night, and several injured or affected residents sought medical attention at the Clinical Center in Split. Firefighters say the main blaze near Ložišće and Milna is now largely contained.
Croatian firefighting units report that 236 firefighters with 68 vehicles are engaged in the operation, supported by four "Canadair" scooper planes and three additional firefighting aircraft. Local volunteer brigades described the initial phase of the fire as dramatic and "apocalyptic".
The fire that broke out yesterday afternoon on Bol has been extinguished. Crews warn that progress will depend on calm weather in the coming days: if winds stay low, the situation should subside.
Officials estimate the fire’s front stretches between 35 and 40 kilometres. To date, more than 4,000 hectares of woodland and low vegetation have burned.
In one resort, roughly 200 people were temporarily trapped inside a hotel when flames reached surrounding areas; firefighters sheltered them in the safest part of the building and defended the structure until it was safe to evacuate. In the Sevid area, teams used a helicopter to control flames threatening homes before nightfall.
Photo: Printskrin
