This might be the worst wildfire in Croatia this year.
The grass and low vegetation fire, which started on Tuesday morning in an inaccessible area near Mokalo in the Orebić region on the Pelješac peninsula, has spread and the fire has reached the local village. About 40 residents of Mokalo have been evacuated to the Antonija villa in Postup, while tourists from two nearby camps have been evacuated to Orebić, announced the State Protection and Rescue Administration (DUZS), reports Jutarnji List on September 25, 2018.
The strong winds are making it difficult for firefighters to extinguish the fire. Due to unfavourable weather conditions, firefighting planes are not able to help.
The fire is spreading due to the strong winds, but all the threatened homes have been defended so far and not a single one has been affected by the fire for now, announced Dubrovnik-Neretva County Fire Department Commander Stjepan Simović. “The situation is very complex and we have a very long day ahead of us, and probably a long night,” Simović said.
Firefighters from the State Firefighting Intervention Unit from Dubrovnik with 10 firefighters and 4 vehicles are present on the scene, together with firefighters from Dubrovačko Primorje and Mljet, as well as volunteer firefighters from Orebić, Kuna, Putnikovići, Viganj, Korčula and Trpanj.
The media reports that firefighters are defending a gas station in Orebić, and the road to Dubrovnik has been closed in both directions. At the moment, houses in Donji Mokal and Jurišić are also being defended.
A meeting of the Civic Protection Council of the Orebić Municipality has been convened, while members of the Civil Protection Council of Dubrovnik-Neretva County are on standby.
Two firefighting planes were sent to the area, but due to bad weather conditions, they were unable to help and have landed at the Split Airport. They will return to the site if the winds die down, the DUZS said.
Civilian security councils will continue to monitor the further development of the situation, and accordingly take appropriate measures, focusing on the most vulnerable areas, as well as assisting the vulnerable population, the DUZS said.
According to witnesses, some of the local residents had to leave their homes urgently when the fire started getting too close. Earlier in the morning, fire alarm sirens sounded off in the area.
Translated from Jutarnji List.
