Omiš Riviera: Wildfire under control, no open flames

The dramatic battle between firefighters and a fire that broke out around 7 a.m. in the Pisak and Marušići area, between Omiš and Makarska, lasted for more than five hours. People were evacuated, houses were saved one at a time, and cars were burned. After the wind subsided, Canadair tanker planes joined the fight and helped the firefighters.

Early this morning, a fire broke out in Pisak, a town on the Adriatic coast between Omiš and Brela. The fire spread to Marušići and Mimice, and it all started in the forest above the main road, which is closed in that part. Firefighters, police and the Croatian army were on the scene, residents tried to protect their homes, while tourists left the town.

Fire under control, no open flames

Good news finally arrived to the Omiš Riviera after a difficult day.

“There is still smoke in some places of this large fire, the size of which is still unknown, but there is no open flame,” journalist Branko Dobrota said for Croatian Radio Television at 16:30.

He spoke with Višeslav Pešić, the commander of Omiš firefighters, who reported on the current situation on the ground.

“The situation on the ground is now satisfactory. All forces of Split-Dalmatia County are on the ground. The Canadairs tanker planes are dousing the ground together with ground forces. And we hope that by nightfall we will be able to put everything under control, so that we will not have any problems because the weather forecast is not favorable - wind is expected in the evening. We will try with all our strength to welcome in a calmer morning. And if there are any flare ups, the Canadairs will come in the morning and try to do this demanding part of the job together with us,” said Pešić.

Considering the size of the fire and the speed at which it spread, it is truly fortunate that there were no fatalities, but there were injuries.

“A firefighter was injured, I hope everything will be okay. As for the material damage, it is great. The fire started in a short period of time in strong winds. At one point, it even caught on in a part of Piskadija. However, under these gusts of wind, it started to go over us so that we had to follow it and drag equipment around non-stop, and at that moment we had no help but only the help of human forces and the residents who live here, who really gave their all and helped at every moment. We tried to get to every house, but we didn't succeed. It's a shame, but we mitigating damages,” Pešić pointed out.

Arson suspected

In the last two days, 17 places on the Makarska Riviera have been on fire. The police announced yesterday that they suspect that all the fires were the result of arson and asked citizens to report to them if they have seen suspicious persons.

“One fire in the Makarska area was definitely the result of arson,” said the Deputy Chief of Split-Dalmatia Police, Siniša Mihanović, at a press conference in Makarska.

“This is a priority for us, next to all our current tasks and tasks that await us in the area of our county and especially in the city of Split, this is definitely our priority. All available forces are engaged, not only those currently on duty, but we have also called people in from home to come to work. At this moment, since we don't have the perpetrator, we won't comment if it is one or more. By inspection we have confirmed at one location what the cause of the fire was and how it was started, but due to the ongoing criminal investigation I wouldn't like to comment on what we found,” said Mihanović.

Source: HRT