The "Trakia" highway is completely closed to traffic in both directions in the section between the Kalugerovo junction near Pazardzhik and the Tserovo junction due to smoke, after dry grass and stubble caught fire in the area, and the fire covered a huge area. There is a bypass route, the spokesman for the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs - Pazardzhik Miroslav Stoyanov announced, BTA reports.
Earlier today, Dariknews.bg first reported, citing its source, about a large fire raging at the 73rd km of the "Trakia" highway in the direction of Burgas, in dangerous proximity to a gas station and a fast food restaurant.
"The situation in the area of 73 kilometers from the "Trakia" highway is dynamic, after dry grass and stubble caught fire there earlier today, which led to traffic difficulties, and subsequently the highway had to be closed in both directions," Miroslav Stoyanov also pointed out.
Six firefighting teams from Belovo, Pazardzhik, Septemvri and Plovdiv are fighting the fire.
The flames have covered a serious front near the guardrails and the space between the two lanes.
Stoyanov pointed out that the main emphasis in the firefighters' actions is to stop the fire from spreading to critical infrastructure such as gas stations and the nearby villages of Vinogradets and Kalugerovo.
Police teams are on site to divert traffic towards Sofia and Burgas through the Kalugerovo and Tserovo road junctions.
The RIA also specified that traffic is temporarily restricted in both directions on the "Trakia" motorway at km 73 due to the fire.
The crossing is carried out via a bypass route: "Tserovo" motorway - road III-8402 - Karabunar - Zlokuchene - Septemvri - road I-8 - Lozen - Zvanichevo - Pazardzhik - road II-37 - "Pazardzhik" motorway and vice versa.
The traffic is regulated by the "Traffic Police". Drivers should drive with increased caution and at a reasonable speed.
In the meantime, dry grass is burning on the "Trakia" motorway in the direction of Burgas and near the Sliven village of Skobelevo. This was reported to BTA by the spokesperson for the Sliven regional police, Parvoleta Mandinska.
The fire started from a car that had been extinguished, but the fire spread due to the strong wind.
Six fire trucks with 18 firefighters are currently extinguishing the fire.
There is no smoke on the highway and traffic is not stopped, Mandinska specified. There is no danger to the nearby village.
Firefighters are also extinguishing a fire in the area between Peshtera and the village of Byaga. Two teams from Plovdiv are also being sent to the scene, because the fire has also entered forest areas. The actions to control the flames are led by the director of the fire department, Commissioner Angel Angelov.