16 August 2026 – Four people have been arrested in northern Dalmatia after police received a report from citizens about suspicious behaviour in the wider Benkovac area, with investigators examining their possible involvement in a series of fires in Zadar County
Zadar police said officers responded shortly after 8pm on Friday following information from members of the public.
“Namely, last night after 8 pm, following a tip-off from citizens about suspicious behaviour by four people in the wider Benkovac area, police officers, through extensive operational work in the field, located and stopped a suspicious vehicle in a short period of time and arrested four people who were brought to official premises and a criminal investigation is underway against them,” Zadar Police Department said.
The arrests come as firefighters have been dealing with several fires across Zadar County, including a major wildfire near Brbinj on Dugi Otok.
The Dugi Otok fire broke out on Friday evening and spread rapidly through difficult terrain and dense Mediterranean vegetation above the village.
Around 100 firefighters were involved in the response, with reinforcements from the mainland arriving overnight along with additional vehicles.
Dugi Otok fire (Screenshot/Vatrogasci-193)
The latest arrests follow a difficult period for firefighters in the region, coming just a day after a major wildfire near Omiš caused significant damage.
Police have not yet released further details about the suspects or confirmed the specific fires they are believed to have been involved in. The investigation is continuing.
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