Fire on Croatia's Brac island forces nearly 700 evacuations

A large wildfire continued to burn on Croatia's Brac island on Sunday, after firefighters managed to defend the town of Milna, which came under serious threat overnight, while nearly 700 people were evacuated from affected areas.

Two people were injured during the evacuation, according to local authorities cited by Croatian news portal Index.hr.

An elderly woman fell from a boat and nearly drowned while being evacuated.

Her life was reportedly in danger, but she is now in stable condition.

A young man was also injured after inhaling smoke.

Satellite imagery indicates that the fire has expanded considerably since Saturday night, spreading toward Milna, the southern coast of Brac and the Blaca desert area.

According to the latest estimate displayed on Google Maps, the affected area covers approximately 56 square kilometers (5,600 hectares).

Brac covers about 395 square kilometers, meaning the estimated area affected by the fire is equivalent to roughly 14% of the island's total area.

The most critical situation developed overnight as the fire approached Milna and tourist facilities in the surrounding area.

Firefighters worked throughout the night to prevent the flames from reaching homes and settlements, while residents and tourists in threatened areas were evacuated.

Milna Mayor Frane Lozic said the situation changed rapidly after authorities initially believed the fire was under control.

Firefighting operations continued Sunday as crews worked to contain the blaze and protect populated areas.