Strong winds pushed the blaze across Brač, prompting a large-scale evacuation as firefighters and aircraft battled to protect homes and tourist areas.
About 230 people were evacuated from the Adriatic island of Brac after a major wildfire burned around 3,500 hectares of pine forest and scrub, authorities said, as strong winds drove the flames across the island.
Authorities on Saturday night warned residents and tourists in the small western town of Milna and surrounding settlements as the fire spread rapidly in strong winds, according to the report from Zagreb.
The national firefighting command said there had been significant improvement by Sunday morning after an extremely difficult night.
Four Canadair water-bombing aircraft have been deployed since Sunday morning to help bring the fire under control, the firefighting service said. More than 220 firefighters worked through the night with the support of 69 vehicles.
Several vessels from the harbour master’s office and maritime police worked alongside private boats to evacuate people from areas at risk near Milna. Around 230 people were evacuated in this way, Croatia’s state news agency Hina reported.
Firefighting commander Slavko Tusakovic said firefighters had protected a large number of residential buildings and helped ensure the safety of tourists and local residents. However, the facades and roofs of several buildings were damaged. Two people suffered minor injuries.
Hina reported that, according to a senior firefighting official, about 3,500 hectares of pine forest and scrub had been destroyed by the blaze.
Like other parts of Europe, Croatia has experienced an extremely hot and dry summer this year, creating conditions favourable for the spread of wildfires.
Scientists have long warned that human-caused climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels is making extreme heat and drought more frequent, while such conditions are becoming more intense and lasting longer.
