Drazen Slavica, a former Sibenik fire chief, was charged by the central coastal town's prosecutors with failing to alert and engage rescue teams in time while battling the blaze on Kornat island in August 2007, the report said.

After the incident, Slavica was detained for two months and later took sick leave. He returned to his job last month.

Only one fireman survived the blaze in which the firefighters were engulfed by flames after a sudden change in wind direction. Half died on the spot and the rest later in hospital.

The fire devastated two thirds of Kornat island, which is a national park located on the country's central Adriatic coast.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.