site.btaPartial State of Emergency Declared in Harmanli Municipality Due to Big Fire

Partial State of Emergency Declared in Harmanli Municipality  Due to Big Fire

Haskovo, South Central Bulgaria, August 21 (BTA) - Harmanli Municipality Mayor Maria Kirkova has declared a partial state of emergency for the villages of Izvorovo and Dripchevo due to a big fire on their territories, Neli Vulkanova, spokesperson of the regional administration in Haskovo, said on Sunday.

A municipal crisis team has been set up and it will also work for informing the population in case evacuation is necessary. In Vulkanova's words, there currently is no direct threat to the settlements, people's property and animals.

Fire-fighting equipment from the whole of Haskovo Region has arrived on site. Also present is Fire and Emergency Safety Chief Directorate head Nikolay Nikolov. Participating in the efforts to put out the fire are also Haskovo Municipality forestry employees and equipment, service members from Haskovo, volunteers from the local villages, a firefighting helicopter from the Kroumovo air base, and two heavy-duty chain machines from the Maritsa East energy complex.

According to the regional crisis staff, the fire in Harmanli Municipality covers between 4,000 and 4,500 ha. According to Nikolov, this is the biggest fire in the area of Haskovo since the start of the season.

The fire has reached the territory of Oryahovo village, which is part of Lyubimets Municipality, and has destroyed a photovoltaic park covering an area of 60 ha, Lyubimets Mayor Atanas Atanassov told BTA. This is the second time this park gets damaged by fire, he added.

One of the versions for what caused the fire is that it started from the photovoltaic park near Oryahovo, from where the flames spread to pastures due to improper clearing, the Interior Ministry said.