Milna: A major wildfire is sweeping across Croatia’s Adriatic island of Brač, forcing hundreds of residents and tourists to evacuate as strong winds hamper efforts to contain the flames near the western village of Milna.
Croatian authorities issued an emergency alert as the fire approached residential areas and tourist facilities around Milna. Nearly 700 people were evacuated from areas threatened by the blaze, according to the latest reports. Two people were injured during the evacuations, including an elderly woman who fell from a boat and a man affected by smoke inhalation.
The fire has spread across an estimated 5600 hectares, according to satellite based estimates cited in the latest reporting. Earlier assessments had put the affected area at around 3500 hectares, highlighting how rapidly the fire expanded.
More than 220 firefighters, supported by 69 vehicles, worked through the night as crews attempted to prevent the flames from reaching homes. Four Canadair water bombing aircraft were also deployed to help fight the fire from the air. Boats from the harbourmaster’s office, maritime police and private vessels assisted with evacuations around Milna.
Strong winds have been a major obstacle, repeatedly pushing the fire towards populated areas and making the direction of the blaze difficult to predict. Firefighters managed to protect many buildings around Milna, although some structures suffered damage to facades and awnings.
Brač is the largest island in Dalmatia and one of the largest islands in the Adriatic. The village of Milna lies on its western side, where the fire has threatened both residential areas and a popular tourist region.
The blaze was first reported on September 10 and has since expanded towards Milna and other parts of the island, prompting the European Union’s Copernicus Emergency Management Service to activate rapid mapping to assess the fire’s extent and damage.
The scale of the fire adds to concerns over wildfire risks across the Mediterranean after a hot and dry summer. For Brač, the immediate priority remains keeping the flames away from settlements while crews work to bring the fire under control.
