Wildfire erupts in Croatia, sparking evacuations

A wildfire erupted early Saturday in southern Croatia near its second city Split, officials said, leading to the evacuation of residents and tourists in some villages.

The blaze began in the area of Pisak and Marusic, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Split, and "could not be controlled", the firefighting department said.

"The situation is very serious. We have activated state forces and police," Slavko Tucakovic, chief firefighting commander told state news agency HINA.


Two firefighting planes were deployed to douse the flames.

According to deputy prefect of Split-Dalmatia county, Stipe Cogelja, 12 houses had been burnt down.

The deputy police chief of the Split-Dalmatia region, Sinisa Mihanovic, told a press conference that police are "intensively investigating arson".

A regional road has been closed, the Croatian auto club (HAK) said.

Croatia's public broadcaster HRT said that in the last two days fires have been raging on 17 locations in the area of Makarska and Omis on the southern Adriatic coast.