Big Wild Fire blaze rages through Croatia
Pastor Dale Morgan
Big Wild Fire blaze rages through Croatia*
ZAGREB, Aug 6 (AFP) Aug 06, 2007
A major fire that has raged since Saturday in the Dubrovnik region of
Croatia late Sunday reached the suburbs of the coastal city where a
state of emergency was decreed, national television reported.
Fire sirens wailed out shortly before 11 pm (2100 GMT) throughout the
medieval city, known as "the pearl of the Adriatic" and classed as a
world heritage site by UNESCO.
"We have set up a civil security HQ and we're ready for evacuation of
the inhabitants from the districts that are in danger," said Mayor
Dubravka Suica.
Several houses went up in flames and 21 firemen were injured, one
seriously, Croatian radio said.
The mayor called on women, children and old people in the affected
districts to go to a shelter and gave assurances that tourists were not
in danger.
"At this moment the tourists are the least at risk as most of their
lodgings are beside the sea, while the fire came in towards the
neighbourhoods located on hills overlooking the town," she said.
Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit Dubrovnik every year.