Budapest, 21 June 2025 (dpa/MIA) - A forest fire raging on Croatia's Adriatic coast has sparked a mass tourist exodus in the region, known for its beautiful shoreline popular with holidaymakers.

A number of tourist hotspots along the coast are affected by the blaze, with a section of the coastal motorway between the towns of Omis and Dubce closed off, local media reported on Saturday.

So far, there have been no reports of casualties related to the fire.

The fire broke out some 30 kilometres south of the city of Split near the coastal settlements of Pisak and Marušići, two villages popular with visitors.

Local media cited the fire brigade as saying that the blaze was currently out of control, with firefighting aircraft deployed to battle the flames.

Drought, heat and strong winds are fuelling the flames, helping the fire to spread through the area's pine forests, according to the reports.

The exact cause of the fire was initially unclear.

All of Marušići's roughly 200 residents and all tourists staying there have been evacuated. Many people were brought to safety by water police.

The flames have already destroyed numerous homes and cars, with further evacuations ongoing.

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