Dozens of teams from the General Directorate “Fire Safety and Population Protection“ fought the fire element in several areas of the country over the past weekend. Dry weather, extremely high temperatures and strong winds created conditions for the rapid spread of the flames, which also imposed temporary traffic restrictions on major roads.
Where was the situation most critical?
One of the most dangerous outbreaks broke out in the area of the village of Visoka Mogila, Boboshevo municipality. The fire, caused by a short circuit in an uninhabited house, burned down the building and three farm buildings. Seven firefighting teams, four teams from the Forestry Department and volunteers from Sofia and Boboshevo were sent to the scene. With the help of heavy equipment and bulldozers, clearings were made to locate the fire front. According to the Bulgarian National Radio (bnrnews.bg), by this time the danger to nearby settlements has been averted, but the teams on duty remain on the ground throughout the night.
There were also serious complications near Asenovgrad, where the fire engulfed over 6,000 acres of abandoned fields and vineyards, forcing the authorities to temporarily close the city's Ring Road to traffic.
Fires in Haskovo, Kyustendil and Montana
The fire service teams responded to dozens of signals throughout Bulgaria:
Haskovsko: Two large fires were located near Dimitrovgrad district “Maryino“ and between the villages of Cherepovo and Branitsa. The damage covers nearly 1200 acres of area. Municipality of Nevestino: Flames engulfed about 100 acres of mixed forest in the lands of the villages of Tishanovo and Eremia. Montana: In the regional center, firefighters successfully extinguished a fire that broke out in the building of a former technical school in the city center, with Mayor Zlatko Zhivkov confirming the municipality's readiness to quickly clear the area. Nova Zagora: Late on Sunday, a fire was also localized near the village of Korten.Road traffic restrictions
In addition to the traffic stop near Asenovgrad, a road accident also caused difficulties for drivers on the “Hemus“ motorway. At the 11th kilometer in the direction of Sofia, traffic was temporarily restricted due to a car that caught fire. Additionally, traffic on the “Trakia“ motorway in the Stara Zagora region was severely disrupted in the afternoon hours due to a three-car accident. According to the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (bta.bg), regular restrictions for heavy trucks over 12 tons during the hottest hours of the day remain in force in order to preserve the road surface.
Appeal for extreme vigilance
A total of 134 fires were extinguished across the country in just one day, according to the Information Portal of the Ministry of Defense (armymedia.bg). Forecasters warn that the risk of new fires remains extremely high for almost the entire country, with an orange code for dangerous heat in effect. The Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Agriculture call on citizens, tourists and hunters to exercise maximum responsibility - not to light open fires and not to throw out unextinguished cigarettes, as in these conditions even the slightest negligence can lead to disaster.