A significant fire erupted on the Pelješac Peninsula in southern Croatia on Thursday morning. Initially, the fire spread rapidly due to strong winds.
To combat the blaze, authorities deployed dozens of firefighters along with four specialized firefighting aircraft.
The fire began around 11:00 AM and quickly expanded because of the wind. The flames reached near local wind turbines, and the large plume of smoke was visible not only from the island but also from across the 2.4-kilometer Pelješac Bridge, which connects this popular tourist area to mainland Croatia.
Originally, the situation appeared dire, as reported by Dnevnik.hr. However, by the afternoon, conditions seemed to improve. Despite this, the potential for wind to complicate firefighting efforts remained a concern.
Currently, the fire does not threaten residential areas, according to Direktno.hr. The flames are primarily affecting the pine forest above the Ponikava area. In addition to local firefighting units from Pelješac, reinforcements from Dubrovnik have been called in.
Some Croatian media outlets report that around one hundred firefighters have been deployed to extinguish the fire on Pelješac.
