Large-scale reforestation of the burned areas has begun after the largest fire in the Rhodope Mountains in the last decade. In August 2021, the fire in the hard-to-reach area between Narechenski bani and the village of Yugovo destroyed over 1,000 acres of pine forest. Five years later, we return to the site of the disaster to follow the restoration of the mountain.
The memory of the fiery hell
Firefighters, forest officials, military personnel and hundreds of volunteers joined the battle with the elements five years ago. “When the wind changes direction towards the ridge and creates traction, the fire becomes peak”, recalls Eng. Zdravko Bakalov, director of the South Central State Enterprise.
They extinguished the fire near Yugovo
The trees in the area burned like torches, as resin was extracted from them in the past. Today, at the foot of Mount Kalvachitsa, nature is beginning to recover - among the dried logs, the rare anemone and medicinal wild needlewort are already blooming, but the shade of the centuries-old pines is still missing.
New technologies to help nature
A large-scale afforestation is underway, which is taking place at an altitude of 1,300 meters above sea level. For this purpose, the South Central State Enterprise uses a specialized machine that clears the terrain, grinds the remaining wood and cultivates the soil.
“In this way, we aim to increase the moisture reserves in the soil and create the best conditions for the development of the future forest”, explained Eng. Bakalov. This technology prepares the terrain before planting the new saplings to ensure their survival.
Caring for the young forest
After the machine prepares the soil, manual planting begins. However, the challenges do not end there. “From here on, our task is to grow these saplings. It is planned to carry out digging and cleaning in a three-year period, said Eng. Kostadin Radkov from the DLS "Kormisosh".
Forestry officials report that animals in the area pose a serious problem for young plantations. For this reason, an option is being considered to fence the areas with electric fences in order to protect the future forest.