The wildfire above Ilindentsi has been contained, with only small hotspots still being monitored, said Commissioner Kaloyan Donchev, head of the National Operations Center at the Fire Safety and Civil Protection service. Recent rains have eased the situation, though over 280,000 decares of land have burned in Bulgaria this year, according to the EU’s Copernicus program.
Around 500 decares are still burning near Petrich. The reasons, Donchev explained, are many: climate change, rising temperatures, strong winds, low vegetation humidity, and human negligence. Investigations are ongoing.
Volunteers remain essential in firefighting. “No country can maintain enough resources to handle such disasters alone,” Donchev stressed. About 3,500 trained volunteers are registered, while spontaneous helpers often join but are urged not to approach fires without proper equipment.
Citizens are reminded: if a fire breaks out nearby, call 112 and flee sideways, not with the wind. Fire safety education is ongoing in schools, with youth brigades actively training. Authorities continue to update firefighting equipment and vehicles, but more resources are needed, especially light trucks with water tanks for remote areas.
