According to The Serbian Economist, wildfires are raging in Croatia. Firefighting efforts are currently concentrated in the Omis area, southeast of Split, and on the Pelješac Peninsula.
The largest fire broke out on the evening of August 13 near the village of Lokva-Rogoznica and, driven by strong winds, quickly spread toward Omis. The fire swept through pine forests and coastal vegetation, damaging homes, cars, and boats. According to the latest estimates by Croatian authorities, the area affected by the fire is approximately 900–1,000 hectares.
The situation proved particularly challenging due to strong winds that constantly changed direction. Croatia’s Chief Fire Officer, Slavko Tucaković, described the events of the night as a “fire storm.” More than 150 firefighters took part in the firefighting efforts, along with Canadair aircraft and units from other regions of the country.
Residents and numerous tourists were evacuated from the most dangerous areas. At one point, there were about 1,500 evacuees at the reception center in Omis. Some people, fleeing the rapidly approaching fire, headed toward the sea.
As of midday on August 14, 40 people required medical attention. Fourteen people remain in the Split hospital, seven of whom are in life-threatening condition. The most severely injured have been diagnosed with burns covering a significant portion of their bodies.
By midday, the situation near Omis had improved significantly. No open flames were visible at the main fire site, and firefighters had moved on to dousing and extinguishing isolated hot spots. However, emergency services continue to operate in the area due to the risk of the fire reigniting.
At the same time, on the morning of August 14, a new large forest fire broke out on the Pelješac Peninsula, in the Kuna Pelješka area near Orebić. A pine forest is burning there; due to strong winds, the fire spread toward populated areas and threatened homes.
The fires have also caused transportation problems. In the Omis area, coastal roads were closed, and on Pelješac, traffic was halted on the section of the road between Prizdrina and Potomje.
Thus, as of 1:00–2:00 p.m. on August 14, the most critical situation along the Croatian coast remains in southern Dalmatia.
The Ukrainian Embassy in Croatia has recommended that Ukrainian citizens temporarily refrain from traveling to the city of Omis and the surrounding resort areas of Dalmatia due to the large-scale forest fires.
The fire broke out on the evening of August 13 in the Lokva-Rogoznica area and quickly spread toward Omis. As of August 14, the region has experienced infrastructure damage, partial power outages, and road closures along sections of the main coastal highway. Firefighting efforts and the evacuation of residents are ongoing.
Ukrainians already in the emergency zone are advised to avoid forested areas and fire zones, follow the instructions of local authorities and emergency services, and, if an evacuation is ordered, proceed immediately to designated assembly points.
In the event of a threat to life or health, Ukrainian citizens should contact the embassy’s hotline: +385 91 605 10 10.
https://t.me/relocationrs/3456
On Saturday morning, rescue workers in the Kyiv region extinguished a fire covering an area of 130 hectares in one of the sections of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, according to the State Emergency Service.
Work is currently continuing at three other hotspots, one of which has already been contained. The situation is under control, and radiation levels are within normal limits, according to a statement on the Telegram channel.
According to Serbian Economist, several major wildfires have been reported in Croatian Dalmatia—on Hvar, in the Šibenik area, in Teljašica Nature Park, in Plata, and near the border with Montenegro, regional media report.
One of the fires near the border with Montenegro has partially spread into Croatian territory. In the Plata area, a forest fire broke out near a power line; local fire departments and emergency services were dispatched to the scene.
On the island of Hvar, a fire broke out in the area of Sv. Nedelja. According to Croatian media reports, the fire engulfed about 10 hectares of pine forest and approached the edges of vineyards. Local firefighters and additional units from the island participated in extinguishing the blaze.
In the Šibenik area, preliminary data indicate that the fire engulfed about 100 hectares of grass, low vegetation, and pine forest. In Telasčića Nature Park, two hotspots remained active—in the area of Jaz Bay and near Mala Proversa, on the eastern side of the park toward the Kornati Islands.
Firefighters, water bombers, an Air Tractor, and other emergency services are involved in extinguishing the fires. In some areas, the situation is complicated by dry vegetation, wind, and difficult-to-access terrain.
For the region, this marks the beginning of a challenging summer period: Dalmatia traditionally remains one of Croatia’s most vulnerable areas in terms of wildfires. The risks are particularly high on the islands, in coastal pine forests, and in areas with high tourist traffic.
There is no talk of a large-scale evacuation of tourists at this time, but authorities and fire departments are urging residents and visitors to the region to monitor official warnings.
Arsenal Insurance has completed the settlement of a major property insurance claim and made two payments totaling over 114 million hryvnias.
The fire occurred on the premises of a large production and warehouse complex in Dnipro. As a result of the fire, the buildings sustained critical damage—only fragments of the structures remained of some of the premises.
Based on the results of technical inspections, the buildings were deemed unsafe: the load-bearing structures completely lost their strength, and some of them collapsed inside the premises. The complex is subject to complete demolition and reconstruction.
The insurance compensation was paid in two installments:
— 51.9 million UAH was paid on May 6, 2026;
— 62.3 million UAH was paid on May 11, 2026.
“Settling such claims is an extremely complex process that requires a large number of technical expert assessments, analysis of the structural condition of the buildings, and a detailed evaluation of the extent of the damage. In this case, it was essentially a matter of the complete destruction of a large complex, so the settlement process was particularly laborious,” commented Arsenal Insurance.
Efforts to extinguish a large-scale forest fire continue in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
“As of 5:00 p.m., the fire had spread across 1,200 hectares—dry weather and strong gusts of wind are contributing to the fire’s spread,” – according to a statement by the State Emergency Service on Telegram on Saturday.
A total of 374 people have been deployed to fight the fire, including 253 rescuers from the State Emergency Service.
“The situation is fully under control,” the State Emergency Service assured.
The state-owned enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” plans to establish over 30,000 km of firebreaks in preparation for the 2026 fire season, the enterprise announced on Facebook.
According to the report, the work is carried out twice a year—in the spring and early fall. Foresters pay particular attention to protecting young coniferous trees, as well as areas along railways and highways.
To carry out this work, the state-owned enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” plans to purchase over 100 cultivators, disc harrows, and 42 special forest plows in 2026 to replace outdated equipment.
The total length of the firebreak network within the state forest fund is 140,000 km. Throughout the fire-hazardous season, the enterprise ensures regular maintenance of these firebreaks, including the removal of dry vegetation and debris to maintain their barrier function.
As reported, the state-owned enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” recorded the first forest fires in the Zakarpattia, Lviv, and Volyn regions in March of this year. The main causes of the incidents were the burning of dry grass in areas bordering the forest fund. The State Forest Guard has already switched to an enhanced patrol regime.
“Forests of Ukraine” reminded the public that burning dry vegetation is punishable by fines ranging from 3,060 UAH to 150,000 UAH, and in some cases carries criminal liability.
