Dozens of cars, vans and other vehicles have been left burned out along Croatia’s Adriatic Highway between Ruskamen and Omiš after a major wildfire swept through the area overnight.
The fire, driven by powerful winds, erupted on Thursday evening near Lokva Rogoznica before spreading rapidly toward Omiš. The flames threatened several settlements and homes, prompting the evacuation of residents and tourists as firefighters from across Dalmatia and other parts of Croatia were deployed to contain the blaze.
Strong winds severely complicated firefighting efforts throughout the night, repeatedly changing the direction and speed of the fire’s spread. At one point, the fire front approached residential areas directly above central Omiš.
Croatia’s Chief Fire Commander Slavko Tucaković confirmed that residential buildings had also been affected.
“Houses were burning, but the details will not be known until morning,” Tucaković said.
Dramatic footage released by Dalmacija Danas showed dozens of vehicles completely destroyed by fire along the road between Ruskamen and Omiš, creating scenes described as resembling an apocalyptic landscape.
Images from the scene also showed burned homes, restaurants and vehicles, although the full extent of the material damage will only become clear after authorities inspect the affected areas during daylight.
The affected section of the Adriatic Highway remains closed to all traffic. Several other roads in the wider Omiš area were also closed overnight as large numbers of people attempted to leave areas threatened by the advancing flames.
The combination of strong winds, rapidly spreading fire and evacuations created severe disruption in the area, while emergency crews continued efforts to secure threatened communities and assess the damage.
