Several fires have been extinguished in the vicinity of Žalec, and police suspect that they were set up.
In recent days, several fires have occurred in the area around Žalec, Slovenia, prompting police to suspect that some of them were deliberately set. The Firefighters' Association of Žalec reported multiple interventions due to these incidents. On Wednesday afternoon, a fire broke out in a forest near a transformer in Zalog pri Šempetru, which was quickly contained by firefighters from several local units. Later that night, another smaller fire occurred in nature near the Golden Cross in Žalec, where grass was burning along the edge of a hop field. Today, a fire started in the forest in Migojnice, which was extinguished and thoroughly inspected using a drone. Police noted that this fire, like others in nearby areas such as Šempetr in Savinja Valley, Pongrac, Velika Piršica, Marija Reka, and Ložnica pri Žalcu, appears to have been intentionally caused. Authorities are collecting information and investigating potential criminal acts related to creating general danger, which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison. Citizens are urged to report any suspicious behavior or signs of fire immediately.
Four wildfires near Planina have been identified with a suspect, according to police in Ajdovščina. The fires, which occurred between July 18th and 24th, were located in natural areas close to the village of Planina within the municipality. Police concluded their investigation after collecting witness statements, inspecting the fire sites, and conducting other investigative measures. They determined that all four fires were set by a 30-year-old man from the area of Northern Primorska. The fires burned dry grass, shrubs, and young vegetation on open terrain near the settlement. Firefighters from the PGD Ajdovščina, GRC Ajdovščina, and PGD Vipava responded quickly, preventing the flames from spreading further or threatening structures. No material damage was reported. The police investigation revealed that three of the fires resulted from discarded cigarette butts, while one was intentionally ignited using a match to light dry grass. In this case, approximately half a hectare of grassland, shrubs, and young growth was consumed. The fires occurred during a period when the entire country was under a high wildfire risk warning. Authorities emphasized that activities such as burning, lighting fires, and discarding hot objects are prohibited in such conditions. Although no physical damage was caused, police stressed that the accused’s actions created danger to human life and health, as well as posed a threat to property of considerable value. Due to the dry vegetation and windy weather, the fires could have spread rapidly and caused significantly worse consequences. Police will file a criminal complaint against the 30-year-old man at the Regional State Prosecutor's Office in Nova Gorica, charging him with the crime of causing general danger. The preliminary investigation is being handled by the Regional State Prosecutor's Office in Nova Gorica. Authorities also warned that they will continue to handle all cases of intentional or negligent arson in natural environments strictly and thoroughly. In the nearby area of Žalec, firefighters dealt with multiple fires over recent days, some of which are suspected to have been deliberately started. On Wednesday afternoon, around 2 pm, a fire broke out in a forest near a transformer station in Zalog, near Šempeter in Savinjska Dolina. Firefighters from PGD Šempeter, PGD Žalec, PGD Gotovlje, and PGD Ponikva intervened swiftly, containing the blaze and preventing its spread. The fire consumed approximately 600 square meters of forested land. Later that night, a smaller fire in nature near the Zlati Kriz in Žalec was extinguished by firefighters. The fire burned on the edge of a meadow in several spots. Firefighters managed to put it out and prevent further spread. Today, just before 1 am, another fire broke out in the woods near Migojnice. Firefighters from PGD Zabukovica, PGD Griže, and PGD Vrbje responded and extinguished the fire. The area was then thoroughly inspected using an unmanned aerial vehicle. Authorities at the Police Station in Celje noted that the fire in Migojnice was initially suspected to have been set intentionally. Similar incidents in recent days have been investigated in Šempeter in Savinjska Dolina, Pongrac, Veliki Pirešica, Marija Reka, Ložnica near Žalec, and other locations. In all these cases, police are gathering information pointing towards the commission of a criminal act that poses a general danger, punishable by up to five years in prison. Residents are urged to immediately call emergency services at 113 if they observe suspicious behavior or individuals acting unusually near areas affected by fires. The police and fire departments are closely monitoring the circumstances of these incidents. Additionally, authorities reminded the public that during periods of high wildfire risk, violating prohibitions on open fires can result in fines ranging from €200 to €600 for individuals and €1,000 to €6,000 for legal entities. If the offender is a legal entity or self-employed business, an additional fine of €200 to €2,000 may be imposed on the responsible person.
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