Forest Fires Force Evacuation of Croatian Resort
Forest Fires Force Evacuation of Croatian Resort
22 September 2008
published by www.planetark.com
Croatia — Croatian authorities ordered the evacuation of parts of the southern Adriatic resort of Makarska on Saturday because of advancing forest fires, state radio reported.
The blaze near Makarska, 440 km (275 miles) south of Zagreb, started on Friday evening and has been fanned by a northerly wind reaching up to 150 kph (95 mph).
Croatia’s Adriatic coast is often hit by fires during the summer months.
Some 800 hectares (2,000 acres) of pine forests have been burnt and several hundred firefighters were tackling the blaze. Several nearby villages were without electricity.
There were no reports that any tourist facilities were in immediate danger.