The fire, struck by lightning on Saturday on Korčula between Blato and Smokvica, stopped spreading overnight thanks to rain, but is not yet under control. Around 220 firefighters are deployed on the island, and the arrival of two tankers is expected.
The blaze has stretched to approximately four kilometres in length and between one and a half and two kilometres in width, locally even more, through dense pine forest on inaccessible terrain.
During the night, 10 to 13 litres of rain per square metre fell, which helped firefighters during the most difficult moments, according to the words of the County Fire Commander Stjepan Simović. All forces remain on the ground, firefighters from Mljet have been activated, and reinforcements are arriving from Koprivnica-Križevci County, Krapina-Zagorje County, Zagreb County, and the City of Zagreb.
The state road Vela Luka — Korčula is open, but drivers are advised to use it only in urgent cases.
