Forest fire near Sibenik in Croatia, residents evacuated by boat

Local authorities say the situation is worse than it was 10 years ago.

A forest fire near the Dalmatian town of Sibenik hit two villages on the so-called Krka Riviera on Wednesday. Daniel Melita, head of the Sibenik Civil Defense, said the residents of Zaton and Raslina were taken to safety by boats across the bay of Stopalj. He added that the situation was the worst in ten years.

And local news portal “sibenik.in” wrote that more than 100 firefighters with 42 fire engines were working. Panic reigned in the village of Zatoun, several houses caught fire and impenetrable smoke settled, a reporter from the portal reported. Plumes of smoke were also seen in Sibenik, a few kilometers away.

Krka Riviera is a popular holiday destination. It extends from the mouth of the Krka River in the Stopalj Bay through the Sibenik Channel to the actual sea coast near Sibenik.

Forest and bush fires are common in Croatia in summer. They also benefit from constant dehydration. Just last weekend, a fire near the city of Pula on the Istrian Peninsula destroyed 40 hectares of vegetation.

(APA/DSPA)