Major wildfire rages on Brač

(Photo: Vatrogasci – 193/Facebook)

LATEST: 8am – Sunday 13 September. 

The situation on Brač is more favourable this morning following a difficult and dramatic night, with the fire gradually easing, according to the Croatian Firefighting Association. Strong winds, including the bura, caused the fire to intensify overnight, with firefighters battling flames house by house around Milna.

Open flames remain in an area west of Milna, while evacuated residents are gradually returning to their homes. Four Canadair firefighting aircraft have been deployed again to assist crews on the ground.

Two people suffered minor injuries and were taken towards Split for treatment. No firefighters have been reported injured.

Some tourists also fled Milna during the night, with some leaving by boat shortly after midnight, while others were still gathered on the waterfront around 4am.

A major wildfire on the Croatian island of Brač has intensified, with flames spreading towards the coastal settlement of Milna as firefighters battle difficult conditions and strong winds.

The fire, which broke out late on Thursday between Ložišća and Grabovica, has continued to burn across large areas of grassland, scrub, macchia and pine forest.

Local firefighting authorities have estimated that more than 3,000 hectares have now been affected.

The situation around Milna became increasingly serious on Saturday evening as the fire front moved towards the settlement and nearby Osibova Bay.

(Photo credit: John Rankin)

An urgent evacuation notice was subsequently issued for residents of Milna, with people instructed to make their way to the local volunteer fire brigade station and follow the directions of emergency services. Boats were also requested to assist with a possible evacuation by sea.

The notice was deleted and replaced with a message that there was no official evacuation but that the situation was critical, 24sata reported.

(Photo credit: John Rankin)

Earlier in the day, residents had been told to remain prepared for a possible evacuation, but authorities said there was no official evacuation order at that stage. The situation deteriorated later as the fire intensified and strong winds changed its direction.

Firefighters have been working in extremely challenging conditions, with strong and shifting winds repeatedly reigniting parts of the fire.

(Photo credit: John Rankin)

The Croatian Firefighting Association reported that 176 firefighters and 53 firefighting vehicles were involved in the operation on Saturday, with additional forces deployed from several parts of Croatia. Firefighters from Split, Dubrovnik and Šibenik, as well as teams from Šibenik-Knin and Zadar counties, have been assisting on the island.

Aerial firefighting aircraft have also been deployed, including Canadair water bombers and Air Tractor aircraft, as crews work to prevent the fire from advancing towards populated areas.

The fire has already threatened several locations on Brač. Firefighters have managed to protect homes and other buildings in areas affected by the blaze, despite the rapidly changing conditions.

The fire has been particularly difficult to contain because parts of the affected area are rugged and difficult to access. Strong winds have repeatedly helped the flames spread and made firefighting operations more difficult.

Dramatic footage released by firefighters showed crews surrounded by flames while working to contain the blaze.

Authorities continue to coordinate ground and aerial firefighting operations as efforts focus on protecting Milna and other populated areas and preventing further spread of the fire.