site.btaDefence Minister Nenchev: Mt Rila Fire Almost Fully Contained

Defence Minister Nenchev: Mt Rila Fire Almost Fully Contained 

Kyustendil, Southwestern Bulgaria, July 26 (BTA) - The fire in
Mt Rila has been almost fully contained, and what remains of it
will be dealt with on Sunday, Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev
said. He had been at the scene of the fire since Saturday.

The number of troops involved in the effort was doubled on
Sunday. It takes four hours to climb to the site, no vehicles
can reach it, and the helicopters were the only machines
effectively used there, said Nenchev.

Two military helicopters continued working on Sunday after
pouring over 86 tonnes of water on the site on Saturday.
Seventy-six troops and eight specialized vehicles from units in
Gorna Banya and Blagoevgrad participated in the effort on
Sunday.

Damyan Damyanov, head of the Southwestern Forestry Unit, told
BTA the fire was fully under control on Sunday. However, it is
impossible to tell when the fire is going to be fully put out as
 there is a smouldering layer of several centimeters. 
Round-the-clock observation will be ensured for several days to
prevent new conflagrations, he said. Damyanov said there was no
risk for the Rila Monastery or the local people.

The Interior Ministry said on Sunday the fire had been contained
 on three sides and critical places remained in the west where
the efforts of firemen, police, troops, forest guards and
volunteers were concentrated. The area in question is 9 hectares
 of grass and bush and nearly 3 ha of forest.

The fire affected an area of about 15 ha of grass and bush and a
 bit of a wooded area, at an altitude of about 2,100 m in a
hard-to-reach place with a 45-degree gradient.

A temporary task force has been set up at the Rila Monastery 
headed by Director of the Fire Safety and Protection of the 
Population Directorate General, Chief Commissioner Nikolai
Nikolov. The  Defence Minister and the Chief of Defence, Vice 
Admiral Roumen Nikolov, are there too.

Experts from the Southwestern Forestry Unit assume that the fire
 was caused by human negligence.