site.bta800 Ha Affected by Fires during Current Year

800 Ha Affected by Fires during Current Year

Tsigov Chark, August 9 (BTA) - Around 800 ha of forest areas have been affected by fires during the current year, Deputy Agriculture and Food Minister Georgi Kostov said. Kostov and Krassimir Kamenov, Deputy Director of the Forests Executive Agency, presented fire prevention and countering measures in the Tsigov Chark resort near Batak Dam.

The most frequent cause of fire is human negligence - by farmers or tourists - or unsecured equipment.

Kostov recalled that the average speed of spreading of fire in calm weather is around 22 km/h and, in windy weather, it may exceed 70 km/h Restoration of one decare (0.10 ha) of fire-hit territory may cost 2,000-3,000 leva.

Surveillance towers have been built under a number of projects, implemented within the Rural Development Programme, Kostov said. They cover eight per cent of the forest territories. Another nine such towers are under contraction and will be set into operation next month.

In the meantime, Fire Safety and Population Protection Director Nikolai Nikolov told the national radio that a total of 283 fires emerged on Saturday but have been contained.