Bulgaria Battles Multiple Fires as State of Emergency Declared in Affected Regions

A partial state of emergency has been declared in three municipalities in the Haskovo region of Bulgaria due to a large fire near Svilengrad. The affected areas include Topolovgrad, Ivaylovgrad, and Svilengrad, with the fire originating in the village of Studena. The strong winds are exacerbating the situation, causing rapid fire spread, and the road to the village has been closed. Approximately 30,000 decares of land, including pine and oak forests, mixed plantations, and fields, are burning. Firefighters, volunteers, and forest officials are on-site, using heavy machinery to create clearings and prevent the fire from reaching populated areas.

Elsewhere in Haskovo, fires are being monitored and controlled. In the village of Dabovets, a fire has been brought under control but teams remain to monitor for re-ignition. The situation is similar in the village of Strem, where the fire is now under control with no danger to populated areas, and evacuated residents have returned home safely. In Gornoseltsi, part of the forest and dry grasses are still burning, but the fire department has control of the situation, with helicopters assisting in dousing the flames. Meanwhile, the fire in the village of Radovets is localized and under observation.

A significant fire has also erupted near Plovdiv, affecting the villages of Pesnopoi and Mihiltsi. Over 70 forest employees and firefighters are battling the blaze, which has consumed nearly 2,000 decares in a pine forest located in the rugged, inaccessible terrain of the Chukorliyski Bair area. No casualties have been reported. In response, a partial state of emergency has been declared in Hisarya and Kaloyanovo, with local authorities warning residents to keep windows closed and stay indoors due to heavy smoke....