Big Blaze Causes Havoc for Pelješac and Korčula

by croatiaweek
July 21, 2015
in News

Firefighters have been battling a huge blaze in the southern Croatian area of Pelješac, and on the adjacent island of Korčula on Tuesday…

Several residents in the villages of Trstenik and Pijavicino were evacuated from their homes as fires raged through Pelješac on Tuesday. Residents from Pijavicino were being put up at a nearby school as the village was without electricity. With temperatures in the high 30s all week, the conditions have been made difficult for firefighters trying to put out the blaze. There are no human casualties as yet but there has been extensive damage to property, livestock, olive groves, pine forests and vineyards. Around 100 firefighters and 28 fire engines are battling the blaze.

One vineyard affected by the blaze was that of famous U.S wine-maker Miljenko Grgić. Grgić has lost part of his vineyard and wine in the blaze.

“You can only stop and cry, I have no strength or desire anymore. The building has been saved, but everything will have to be renovated. The barrels were outside and they were saved, but the bottles were not. Everything is wet and slippery a catastrophe. Very sad,” said vineyard worker Draženka Grgić to dulist.hr.

The Grgić family vineyard was founded in 1996.

Meanwhile, fires have been burning near Smokvica and Brna on the island of Korčula for the last two days. Firefighters managed to localise the fire which destroyed over 500 hectares of pine forests, before some started up again today. Again, houses are under threat but firefighters are doing all they can to control the blaze.