Brac Island Wildfire Burns 5,600 Hectares, Forces 700 Evacuations in Croatia

Nearly 700 residents and tourists have been evacuated from the Croatian island of Brac after a rapidly expanding wildfire consumed approximately 5,600 hectares of pine forest and scrubland. The blaze, which escalated over the weekend of September 12 and 13, 2026, forced a coordinated maritime rescue as flames advanced toward the western coastal town of Milna.[1][5]

Fanned by strong katabatic winds, the fire breached initial containment lines, prompting authorities to activate an early warning system. Several boats from the local harbor master's office and the maritime police worked alongside private vessels to transport people out of the immediate danger zone.[2][4]

Milna Mayor Frane Lozic noted that the situation deteriorated rapidly just as authorities believed the fire was contained. In response, more than 220 firefighters, supported by 69 vehicles and four Canadair water-bombing aircraft, established a defensive perimeter around the town's homes and tourist facilities.[1][2]

"The wind is still blowing but I think we have a good chance of controlling the fire by the end of the day," firefighting chief Nikola Martinic Dragan stated during the operation, as crews worked through the night to douse the approaching flames.[2]

While the defensive lines held, the evacuation process resulted in two casualties. An elderly woman fell from a vessel during the maritime evacuation and nearly drowned before being stabilized, and a young man required medical treatment after inhaling heavy smoke.[1]

Satellite imagery confirms the fire has scorched roughly 14 percent of the 395-square-kilometer island, an area roughly two-thirds the size of Manhattan. The Copernicus Earth Observation program tracked the burn scar as it spread across the island's rugged interior.[1][3]

The incident follows a string of severe wildfires across Croatia during the 2026 summer season. A massive fire near the southern coastal town of Omis in August claimed three lives, marking one of the deadliest wildfire incidents the country has recorded in recent years.[4]

Environmental scientists point to prolonged extreme heat and drought as the primary drivers of these tinderbox conditions. The Adriatic region has experienced an exceptionally dry summer, which researchers link to broader climate shifts that make extreme weather events more frequent and intense.[2]

Firefighting crews remain stationed across the island's southern coast and the Blaca desert area to monitor hotspots. The immediate operational focus has shifted to preventing flare-ups as shifting winds continue to test the newly established containment boundaries.[1]