Wildfire

A Bulgarian Air Force helicopter has helped contain a wildfire near Lesovo village, a checkpoint on the border with Turkey, the Defence Ministry announced on Tuesday.

Lesovo is not under threat from the flames, according to the head of the Fire Department in Yambol Region Yordan Sabev, Focus news agency reported.

A wildfire raging through the foothills and canyons of northern California's coastal mountains more than doubled in size as it roared into its fifth day on August 2, leaving two dozen homes in charred ruins and displacing thousands of residents. 

Wildfires have caused damage worth around BGN 10 M since the beginning of 2015, according to Bulgaria's Deputy Agriculture Minister Georgi Kostov.

Kostov told the Bulgarian National Radio on Sunday that extinguishing fire on an area of 1 decare cost BGN 500-1000, a helicopter flyover had a price tag of BGN 1000, and reafforestation cost BGN 500-1000, depending on the type of trees.

The district governor of Bulgaria's Haskovo Dobri Belivanov has requested aid from the Defence Ministry in extinguishing the wildfire raging between the villages of Bryagovo and Ostar kamak.

A military unit has been dispatched to the area and is already lending support to the crews of firefighters.

A wildfire has been raging near the village of Sopovo, located in the municipality of Boboshevo in western Bulgaria.

The fire initially originated in pastures, but later spread to beech and oak forests, daily Dnevnik reports.

The forest fire in Bulgaria's Rila Mountain has been contained from three sides, the blaze continues only on the northwestern slopes, Nova TV station reported on Sunday.

The advance of the fire front to the south towards the famous St. Ivan Rilski Monastery has been halted.  

The wildfire raging above the Rila Monastery in southwestern Bulgaria, has spread further overnight.

Nearly 250 people, including firefighters, military personnel with two helicopters and volunteers, are trying to extinguish the fire.

According to the latest information, the fire has mainly engulfed grass, bushes and some dry woods.

More than 40 new wildfires have occurred in Bulgaria over the past 12 hours as a result of hot summer weather, strong winds and human neglect of fire safety rules, BGNES reported on Friday afternoon.

The wildfire near the Bulgarian town of Harmanli continues to be raging for the third consecutive day on Friday.

Part of the fire has been extinguished, but it continues to be raging on an area of 300 metres between the villages of Dripchevo and Mladinovo.

The municipality of Harmanli in southern Bulgaria declared on Thursday a state of emergency due to the wildfire, which has been raging in the region for a second consecutive day.

The wildfire has engulfed forest, grass and bushes, spreading between the villages of Mladinovo, Dripchevo, Oryahovo and Izvorovo.