Brac Fire: Canadairs Battle Blaze Near Lozisca

On the Croatian island of Brac, where thousands of tourists from Serbia spend their summers and early autumns every year, a new wildfire broke out last night and, driven by strong winds, moved toward the villages of Lozisca and Bobovisca overnight. Residents were on standby for a sea evacuation until just before dawn, and this morning four Canadair planes are continuing the firefighting effort from the air.

According to the Croatian Firefighting Association, the report of an open-area fire reached the Split County Firefighting Operations Center on September 10 at 10:13 p.m. The fire broke out in the area between Lozisca and Dracevica, burning grass, low brush and Mediterranean scrub on hard-to-reach terrain. Citing the Croatian portal Index, the Tanjug news agency reported in the early hours after the fire broke out that the flames were spreading toward Pothumlje and that power had gone out in the surrounding area, while later reports from the Croatian Firefighting Association mention only the direction toward Lozisca and Bobovisca, with no reference to Pothumlje.

Ground Firefighting and Preparations for a Sea Evacuation

Overnight, 70 firefighters with 20 vehicles from the volunteer firefighting societies of Supetar, Bol, Pucisca, Selca and Milna took part in the effort. As the fire spread, another 33 firefighters with ten vehicles arrived from the Split-Dalmatia County Firefighting Association. Power lines in the affected area were shut off as a precaution, and the local road was closed to traffic.

As the fire began approaching the villages, authorities started preparing to evacuate residents by sea, from Bobovisca toward Sutivan. Vessels from the Split Port Authority, the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service and the maritime police were placed on standby. By 3:30 a.m., residents had been moved to the waterfront in Bobovisca, but a full evacuation ultimately did not take place, as the situation stabilized before the vessels had to set out. Every home in both villages was saved.

Canadairs Over the Fire Zone

By morning, four CL-415 firefighting planes, known as Canadairs, had joined the effort from the air. Ivan Kovacevic, commander of the Split-Dalmatia County Firefighting Association, told Croatian media that the situation this morning is considerably better than it was overnight.

The firefighting aircraft are already at work, and we expect the situation on the southern side to be resolved as well, after which we’ll move on to clearing the fire zone.

Kovacevic added that open flame this morning remains only on the southern part of the fire zone, while elsewhere crews are only putting out occasional flare-ups. The Croatian Firefighting Association also repeated its appeal for residents and tourists not to approach the fire zone to take photos or videos, as this makes the work of firefighters and other emergency services harder.

Third Fire on the Adriatic in a Week

Brac is the third Croatian island or coastal area to burn this week. Srpske.rs previously reported on the fire near Omis, where a third victim died and damage was estimated at 110 million euros. That fire showed just how serious this year’s wildfires on the Adriatic coast have become, even though the tourist season is formally winding down.

For Serbian tourists still traveling to the Adriatic at this time of year, the back-to-back fires on Brac and near Omis mean the risk of closed roads and disrupted traffic along the coast remains even after the peak of the season. So far, no homes on Brac have been damaged, and the sea evacuation, though prepared right up to the last moment, was not ultimately needed.

Whether the fire near Lozisca will be fully extinguished during the day will depend on how long the wind holds its current direction. According to firefighters, cleanup of the terrain will only begin once the last hot spot on the southern side of the fire zone is out.