Electrical discharge caused Dugi Otok fire, police say

A fire that broke out on Dugi Otok on August 14, 2026, was caused by an electrical discharge from power lines, according to the Zadar Police Department. Investigators determined the fire's origin was beneath a power line pole. Salt and moisture contributed to an electrical discharge, creating and ejecting sparks onto the surrounding low vegetation.

The fire subsequently spread to brushwood and maquis, moving toward the villages of Luka and Savar on the island's southwest side. Officials from the maritime and airport police station in Zadar conducted the investigation, collaborating with a fire protection inspector from the Directorate of Civil Protection.

The article also briefly mentions a separate tragic event: 12 deaths resulting from a bus overturning during a return trip from Međugorje. This detail appears unrelated to the Dugi Otok fire investigation.